Day for Milk leaves bitter taste

After extensive research of his life and tragic assassination, there is no argument that former San Francisco Supervisor Harvey Milk was an incredible human being. But the question being asked is, should California School Boards recognize a day for him in the classroom? 

Harvey Milk was the first openly gay man elected to any substantial political office in history and in 1977 when he became a member of San Francisco’s board of supervisors, many psychiatrists still recognized homosexuality as a mental illness. He did a lot for the gay community, encouraging them to “come out” and worked to increase peace and awareness. He was murdered in 1978. 

Milk was a slain hero to the gay community, and now California is recognizing his significance with Harvey Milk Day. School Boards across Orange County are having trouble deciding how or even if they will incorporate Harvey Milk Day in the classroom. Sex education is not even taught until sixth grade in public schools, and celebrating Harvey Milk’s life would require elementary school teachers to explain not only what sex is but also what homosexuality is. They have to explain the significance of what he accomplished, which will surely have parents crawling out of their skin. 

Now to have elementary-aged children take a day off of school to celebrate sexual orientation is a little too far, but that’s not what’s being proposed, the signing of the bill, SB 572, designates Milk’s birthday as a day of significance, not a state holiday. Under the bill, Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger declares May 22 a day of special significance and urges, but does not require, schools “to conduct suitable commemorative exercises on that day” in recognition of Milk. 

There are ways that Harvey Milk Day can be celebrated in the classroom in a non-offensive manner, and if it is too much for parents, they can decide to let their kid stay home that day. Milk died because of hate, but his life represents so much more than that. Celebrating his day would teach tolerance, equality and diversity to children, and instilling those qualities in their minds is the only way to reduce horrendous hate crimes in the future.