Homosexual former San Francisco leader Harvey Milk

SACRAMENTO – A California committee passed a bill proclaiming that the state's public school children will take a break from learning every year to celebrate Harvey Milk – a homosexual icon considered by some to be "a martyr for gay rights."

The California State Senate Education Committee passed SB 572 today on a 7-2 vote. The bill encourages all California public schools to "conduct suitable commemorative exercises … remembering the life of Harvey Milk and recognizing his accomplishments as well as the contributions he made to this state."

It requires no parental consent for student participation.

SB 572 states, "Perhaps more than any other modern figure, Harvey Milk's life and political career embody the rise of the lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) civil rights movement in California, across the nation, and throughout the world."

"If signed into law, SB 572 will mean an official day commemorating homosexuality, bisexuality, and transsexuality in California government schools, without parental permission," said Randy Thomasson, president of SaveCalifornia.com, which has been generating citizen phone calls and e-mails against SB 572.

"It's absurd that government schools teach children not to smoke or use drugs, yet would teach children as young as kindergarten that homosexuality is good and healthy and maybe even for them. That's just not true. Homosexual and bisexual behavior causes up to 82 percent of all HIV transmissions in California," Thomasson said.

As WND reported last year, the same bill (numbered AB 2567) passed the Democrat-controlled Legislature, but was vetoed by Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger.

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A SurveyUSA poll recently found that only one out of five Californians support making Milk's birthday a statewide "day of significance."

Nonetheless, state legislators are still fighting for a yearly commemoration dubbed "Harvey Milk Day." The following lawmakers voted to establish Harvey Milk Day in California public schools:

Sen. Abel Maldonado, R-Santa Maria

Sen. Gloria Romero, D-East Los Angeles

Sen. Elaine Alquist, D-San Jose

Sen. Loni Hancock, D-Alameda County

Sen. Carol Liu, D-Pasadena

Sen. Alex Padilla, D-San Fernando Valley

Sen. Joe Simitian, D-Palo Alto

Voting against SB 572 were two Republican state senators: Bob Huff of Glendora and Mark Wyland of Carlsbad.

The text of the bill states, "It is the intent of the Legislature that the exercises … be integrated into the regular school program, and be conducted by the school or institution within the amount otherwise budgeted for educational programs."

The announcement comes only days after WND reported a California school district launched a website to "meet the needs of gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender and questioning youth."

Thomasson said SB 572 is just one more reason why parents should rescue their children from the "anti-family" public school system. He encourages parents to visit RescueYourChild.org to learn about other education options before it's too late.

"With public schools becoming sexual indoctrination centers, homeschooling and church schools are no longer parental options, they're parental imperatives," he said.

Thomasson warned that the bill would impact children as young as 5 years old and positively portray homosexuality, bisexuality, and transsexuality and anything else that's "in the closet."

"This bad bill will teach impressionable schoolchildren the anti-religious, homosexual-bisexual-transsexual agenda of Harvey Milk," said Thomasson. "For the love of God, respect for parents, and defense of impressionable children, Governor Schwarzenegger must veto SB 572 if it reaches his desk."

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