New Jersey schools to be required to teach LGBTQ history

NEW JERSEY (FOX 5 NY) - Middle schools and high schools in New Jersey will be required to teach about the historical contributions of people in the Lesbian, Gay, Bi-Sexual and Transgender community beginning in the 2020-2021 school year.

NJ Gov. Phil Murphy signed a bill Thursday that would mandate a change to the curriculum.

The bill - S169 -was drafted by several state legislators.

"A board of education shall include instruction on the political, economic, and social contributions of persons with disabilities and lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender people, in an appropriate place in the curriculum of middle school and high school students as part of the district's implementation of the [Core Curriculum Content Standards] New Jersey Student Learning Standards1 2 [in Social Studies] ."

The law does not apply to private schools. It also includes a requirement to include education on Americans with disabilities.

Civil rights advocacy group Garden State Equality heralded the new law.

"It's critical that our classrooms highlight the achievements of LGBTQ people throughout history. Our youth deserve to see how diverse American history truly is--and how they can be a part of it one day, too," said Executive Director of Garden State Equality Christian Fuscarino. "I'm thankful to Governor Murphy for making New Jersey the second state in the nation to have a law promoting LGBTQ-inclusive curriculum."

California was the first state to require the LGBTQ curriculum mandate.