DENVER (KDVR) — The Colorado Board of Education heard comments from the public Wednesday surrounding the possibility of excluding LGBTQ references in the social studies curriculum until fourth grade.
After thousands of people offered feedback, a committee made the recommendation to the board.
“The recommendation at the moment is to omit references to gender identity from … K-3,” Steve Durham (R), vice chairman of the Colorado Board of Education said.
“Most parents believe that discussions of sexual matters among kindergartners is inappropriate,” Durham said.
But many students, families and educators offered different opinions during the public comment sections Wednesday.
“How are families like mine inappropriate? I just don’t understand that,” one mom said to the board.
“I was never taught LGBTQ topics in elementary school or middle school. I felt alone, unsupported, and weak,” a 17-year-old student said.
The speakers said references to LGBTQ people in social studies are not about sex. The references would offer factual and historical references to a diverse group of people and help people in this group not feel marginalized or erased from history.
“Including the works and contributions of LGBTQ+ individuals just like we do for women authors, BIPOC authors, etcetera, in no way equates to teaching about sex,” President of the Colorado Education Association Amie Baca-Oehlert said.
The board will continue to take public comment and plans to make a decision by the end of the year.