Another burden on teachers

Re "Teaching of gay history is mandated" (Page A1, July 15): As a retired teacher, I have several questions. First, teachers are already stressed to the limit with all the endless testing and assessment requirements. When there is no time for enrichment subjects such as art and music, how does this fit in?

Shouldn't tolerance and kindness be taught, period? Sexual preference of any kind should not be introduced to young children. Specific discussions of a sensitive nature belong in the privacy of the home.

I thought California's schools system had no money. This bill would mean spending millions on new textbooks. I am assuming it would also mean costly training for teachers. When are hardworking taxpayers finally going to say they have had enough?

– Jeannette Barker, Lincoln

Another frivolous law

I am disappointed that Gov. Brown would even take the time to read this frivolous law, let alone sign it. Our school system is already overregulated. Could that be the reason that California is rated in the lowest ranks of the whole United States?

– Elaine Emery, Sacramento

Law prevents bigotry

The new law only includes the contributions made by gay people in history. It does not mandate teaching anything about sexual activity. If gay composers are not included in music class, teaching this subject would be impossible. The same applies in literature, and every other area of study. True education is not a smorgasbord, where you take a little of this, some of that, and nothing of another. The teaching of history should not be narrowed by bias. If you can't make this distinction, the problem is yours, not the new law.

– Ron Gallup, Citrus Heights

Gay history bill was miscast

Re "Bill crafts Disneyland version of history" (Viewpoints, July 14): David A. Lehrer's claim that SB 48 would prohibit the teaching of any matter that reflects "adversely" upon any of the groups mentioned in the bill is simply incorrect, and his omission of a key phrase in the bill can't be anything but deliberate.

The bill would prohibit "instruction … that reflects adversely upon persons because of their race, sex, color, creed, handicap, national origin, sexual orientation or ancestry." Lehrer's omission of the words "because of" changes the meaning of the bill. While I should not be able to say to my students such a biased statement as "Barney Frank is a terrible congressman because he is gay," I certainly can say something that might reflect adversely against him because of his policy positions or his votes.

– Gerald O'Connor, Sacramento

It's not about the money

Re Tom Meyer cartoon, July 14: If you think teachers are in it for the paycheck and not to benefit the students, go sit at Target or Walmart in the coming weeks and watch how many teachers spend their hard-earned paychecks on their classrooms.

Ask them what keeps them teaching when they know at any moment that they might be cut. They'll tell you stories of all the children they've encountered. And any answer they give will have much more to do with sense – and passing it on – than it will ever have to do with dollars.

– Andrianna Gervais,

Citrus Heights

Cartoon is ignorant

Your cartoon is most offensive. Unless you are in the trenches, then you do not know. Did you know my school had to vote on areas to cut and in order to save teachers' jobs and keep classroom sizes from increasing again? We voted to donate part of our salaries to create funding. Can't you see it is not all about saving our jobs while our students suffer?

– Melissa Rose, Auburn

Teachers aren't the bad guys

For years, school districts have had to play a game of musical teachers each year, laying off a number of teachers in advance of the budget being passed, then hiring some or all of them back once the budget numbers are determined. This creates an instability and turnover that is detrimental to our students.

Teachers are not the bad guys here. Please introduce me to these selfish teachers you depict; in 30 years of teaching, I have not yet met one.

– Deborah Harvey, Sacramento

© Copyright The Sacramento Bee. All rights reserved.