Board opposes Harvey Milk Day

“‘Harvey Milk Gay Day’ would teach schoolchildren the very controversial values of Harvey Milk,” Randy Thomasson, president of SaveCalifornia.com, a self-described pro-family organization, said in a statement.

“Based on the historical record of Milk’s sordid life, this could include teaching elementary and secondary schoolchildren that adult-child homosexual ‘sex’ is OK, having multiple sexual relationships at the same time is OK...”

Writers of the bill hope that students will be required to participate in “exercises remembering the life of Harvey Milk, recognizing his accomplishments, and familiarizing pupils with the contributions he made to this state,” the bill read.

Thomasson said the organization was concerned such “exercises” would include “gay-pride parades on campus, cross-dressing exercises, and mock gay weddings.”

A polarizing life

Born in 1930, Harvey Milk was the first openly gay man to be elected to public office in a major American city. Among other efforts, Milk helped to defeat a 1978 proposition that would have prevented gays and lesbians from teaching in public schools. On Nov. 27, 1978, Milk and Mayor George Moscone were assassinated at City Hall.

A recent biographical feature film about Milk, starring Sean Penn, brought national attention to Milk and his mission, which, in the 1970s, faced fierce resistance from Orange County conservatives.