REDLANDS – The Redlands Tea Party Patriots are working to collect signatures from residents to help repeal the FAIR Education Act (Senate Bill 48).

The act amends the Education Code to require schools across the state to integrate factual information about social movements, current events and the history of people with disabilities and those from the lesbian, gay, bi-sexual and transgendered community into existing social studies lessons.

Since its introduction into California law last July when the measure was signed by Gov. Jerry Brown, SB 48 has received its fair share of support and controversy.

Those who are against the bill say that lessons will introduce the LGBT lifestyle into classrooms when the discussion of a gay individual is on a lesson plan, and that the discussion of the LGBT community should be handled under the discretion of a parent or guardian of a California student.

Pastor Don Wallace of the Redlands Christian Center said the law will not allow students who are uncomfortable with the subject matter to opt out of any lesson on gay history.

“My understanding is that it is supposed to be a historical teaching of those who are (gay) and have had a contribution to society. My point is that their sexuality should have nothing to do with it. If they made a contribution to our society, fine talk about their contribution and not their sexuality. This moves on from teaching to the promotion of a lifestyle that I don’t think is appropriate,” he said.

“I believe our citizens should have a chance to vote on this.”

Wallace said his Redlands center was involved in last year’s effort to try and repeal SB 48, but collection of signatures to have the measure appear on an upcoming ballot failed.

He learned from another organization about the Tea Party Patriot’s efforts to collect signatures this year and he will once again try to have the measure be voted on by Californians.

John Berry, spokesman for the Tea Party Patriots, said he is eager to collect as many signatures as possible. He is pledging to collect 1,000 with the organization to help with the statewide effort.

They will introduce petitions for Redlanders and visitors to the area to sign this Thursday at their booth during Market Night in downtown Redlands.

They will also work to canvass the area on March 24, as part of a door-to-door campaign.

“The whole point of (SB 48) is that it mandates the positive teaching of alternative lifestyle that has nothing to do with schools,” Berry said. “What the proponents of this indoctrination are saying is this is to stop bullies. Well, this is complete nonsense because you can’t legislate attitude. So it makes no sense…and complete nonsense.”

Berry said the state has no right to get involved or spend money on making the FAIR Education Act possible, adding that it is the parent’s responsibility to teach their kids about the LGBT community.

“Imposing a state-wide indoctrination is going beyond what government is about,” he said. “It’s absolutely offensive what the state of California is doing because it goes against the common sense of being a good parent.”

He says many are eager to sign the petition.

Adam Price, founder of PRIDE (Pride, Redlands, Identity, Diversity, Equality) at Redlands High School, said that he is very doubtful that those who are against SB 48 will receive enough signatures to get the measure put on the ballot come November.

“It’s been tried and done before and it hasn’t succeeded,” he said. “(SB 48) is helping children in every single school with bullying, being open-minded and looking at people in a different way. It’s teaching children about the facts, period.”

Price, who led a workshop on SB 48 in January, said the bill will not cost California taxpayers a cent since history books have to be reprinted in 2015 anyway, adding that if textbooks were never reprinted, students today would still be learning about history in the 1930s.

“We’re not teaching (students) about the lifestyles of a person. We’re just adding that this person was gay. We’re not giving them sexual instruction or anything crazy like that or influencing them to be gay, lesbian or transgendered,” Price said. “We’re stating the facts that have never been stated before.”

To learn more about the Tea Party Patriots’ efforts to stop SB 48, visit www.redlandsteaparty.com or classact2012.com.

Reach Kristina via email, call her at 909-793-3221, or on Twitter @TheFactsKris.