(Schwarzenegger) would veto bill mandating inclusion of gays in textbooks

[Newsjock]

http://sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2006/05/25/MNGL3J2CTK4.DTL

Greg Lucas, Chronicle Sacramento Bureau
Thursday, May 25, 2006

Sacramento -- Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger will veto legislation that would require public school instructional materials to contain discussions about the contributions of gay lesbian, bisexual and transgender people if the bill reaches his desk, a spokesman said Thursday.

The statement from the governor, who rarely takes positions on bills until they pass the Legislature, dooms the measure which also prohibits teaching or textbooks that reflect adversely on people because of their sexual orientation.

... Backers of the bill vowed to continue pushing it through the Legislature. The measure cleared the 40-member Senate two weeks ago on a 22 to 15 vote after a sometimes emotional debate.

"We're going to keep going. The governor is clearly doing pre-primary electioneering and I think it's kind of cowardly to do it on the backs of gay and lesbian kids," said the bill's author Sen. Sheila Kuehl, D-Santa Monica.