New Jersey has become only the second state to require that its schools teach about LGBTQ history. California, which we seem more and more to imitate, is the first. I'm not really sure that your sexuality or who you sleep with has anything to do with your contributions to our country's growth, but if we're going to go there, then why stop there?

New Jersey has a rich history of people from all kinds of backgrounds, none of whom were welcomed here with open arms, most of whom despite that went on to make great contributions to our country. Why not teach the history of the Italians, Irish, Jewish, Polish, Muslin, Hindu, Native American, etc.? These are all the people that make up this great Garden State that we live in.

This move is being hailed by civil rights groups as a step toward inclusion and fairness. How is it fair that the history of most of the people who make up the middle class is not being taught? Many of our ancestors had to go through hell to be accepted into this country and state. They were ostracized, made fun of, humiliated, lived in poverty with nobody handing them anything yet they worked hard to assimilate to society. They didn't complain about it, they didn't have time to. They were too busy working.

They put their lives on the line through two world wars. They were willing to do the jobs that no one else wanted to so that one day their children could have a better life. They truly were "The Greatest Generation."

Those are the stories I'd like my children to hear about in school. Those are the stories that will make them feel good about who they are and where they came from. I get the idea that gay and transgender children need to be included, but so do children of all walks of life who go through being left out.

I hear talk about how schools need to teach diversity. The way to do that is to teach everything. Otherwise, how can you possibly be diverse?

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