Opinion: Amid renewed fights over diverse school curricula, we must speak up

From 1989 to 1993, I served as New York City's deputy schools chancellor under then-Chancellor Joseph Fernandez. Among the many important reforms instituted during that time was the Children of the Rainbow curriculum guide, which helped teachers in the early grades understand why diversity is important and positive. Diversity had become significant in New York due to a number of violent racial incidents during the 1980s. While the majority of the material in the guide was about the importance of racial equity, about 5% of the content referenced gender and the appendix mentioned a reference book for teachers titled “Heather Has Two Mommies.” Some erroneously claimed that the curriculum guide encouraged young children to read the book and was teaching kids to become gay. Even though this was New York, not the South, Children of the Rainbow became very contentious, with demonstrations and front-page media stories in New York and nationally. Despite being widely praised by educators across the city, the curriculum was shelved and the chancellor’s contract was not renewed despite a strong record of accomplishment.

While Children of the Rainbow had an unhappy result, it was part of efforts that stimulated a movement in the early 1990s, during the worst of the HIV/AIDS epidemic, which later led to greater acceptance of gay rights. Eventually, same-sex marriages and partner benefits were acknowledged by industry and government, gay people were allowed to serve openly in the military, college courses examining gender and race were created and the culture came to both acknowledge and accept racial and gender differences. For many, this was the beginning of slow and steady progress on many important issues, and it led us to believe that social progress, while slow, would continue, regardless of race, gender or religion. However, recent activities demonstrate that this MAY no longer the case. Antisemitism has spiked across the nation, racial violence has not ended and women's rights are being threatened.

The 2024 presidential campaign highlighted transgender issues and in the aftermath of the election, the Speaker of the House publicly denied a transgender lawmaker access to the restroom matching their gender identity. Trump’s threats to dismantle the U.S. Department of Education will threaten its Civil Rights division. We are also seeing states like Florida adopt “Don’t Say Gay” policies that forbid gender issues from even being discussed in public school classrooms. In Texas, where gender can't be referenced either, Christian religion preferences are being forced into the classroom curriculum. The Heritage Foundation’s “Project 2025” blueprint for the incoming administration recommends denying schools any access to federal funding if they so much as teach about discrimination and equity. And the push to change schools does not end with grade 12. In Florida and other states, even public universities are being pushed by right-wing legislators to strip courses in sociology, anthropology, and diversity out of their general education requirements.  

What comes next? Clearly, we may have learned little from the experience here in New York City involving Children of the Rainbow. But we can't simply lie back and let this all happen. Quality education must be a bulwark of our nation, and the ability to teach and learn can't be pushed through a political lens. 

Our nation’s schools and colleges need to be safe places where factual information and knowledge is prized and historical context is respected. Leaders across all sectors of the economy can’t remain silent. They need to speak out publicly about the importance of depoliticizing education and making classrooms equitable. That will involve leadership by educators, but it must also include leaders in the civic, business and governmental communities speaking out. It is in all of our interests to do so. We all need to make our voices and our votes count because the future of our nation depends on it.