SACRAMENTO, Calif. - In addition to electing a president and several other Washington insiders, when California voters go to the polls in November they'll also be asked to weigh in on the state's new embracement of gay marriage. Proposition 8 is a "defense of marriage" initiative that would amend California's constitution to declare only heterosexual unions are valid in the state.
Supporters of the ballot initiative say officially sanctioning gay marriage - as has become the state's policy since the California Supreme Court on May 15 struck down the state's ban on same-sex unions - could lead to widespread indoctrination of children into the "homosexual agenda."
"If the gay marriage ruling is not overturned, teachers will be required to teach young children there is no difference between gay marriage and traditional marriage," according to Prop. 8 supporters, whose ballot arguments became public this week as part of a display at the secretary of state's office.
Roughly defined, ballot arguments compose "plain English" explanations of a ballot initiative's scope, purpose and reason for being. Typically one is written by each side of the issue.
Opponents of Prop. 8 accuse sponsors of the initiative of employing scare tactics and lying in an effort to win voter support. The No on 8 campaign plans to decide next week whether it will sue to have the "pro" language in the Prop. 8 ballot arguments changed because it is misleading.
Yes on 8, the opposing camp, said the language is fair. Although neither the California Supreme Court's ruling nor Proposition 8 itself mentions education, the implications are clear, according to spokeswoman Jennifer Kerns. She told the San Francisco Chronicle that pro-homosexuality education would become mandatory in California schools if Prop. 8 is defeated, because public schools are required to provide "comprehensive health education" from kindergarten through high school. Part of that education currently focuses on "the legal and financial aspects and responsibilities of marriage." If homosexual marriage and heterosexual marriages are treated equally in the state, students at every grade level would be instructed that same-sex and opposite-sex marriages are the same, Kerns said - and her group believes that is wrong.
"We should not accept a court decision that results in public schools teaching our kids that gay marriage is OK," the ballot arguments state. "That is an issue for parents to discuss with their children according to their own values and beliefs. It shouldn't be forced on us against our will.... While gays have the right to their private lives, they do not have the right to redefine marriage for everyone else."
California's education statutes, however, do not specify during which grade levels marriage must be discussed or that gay marriage must be discussed at all. State law also allows parents to exempt their children from any health classes that violate their religious views.
The Prop. 8 ballot arguments are pure fabrication," attorney Shannon Minter told the Chronicle. "They are trying to inflame people by making up these falsehoods about kids."
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