Assembly candidate calls for ignoring Harvey Milk Day

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A Kern County school board member has asked the board to ignore a new state law setting aside a day to remember the life of gay-rights leader Harvey Milk.

The Bakersfield Californian reports board member Ken Mettler, who is also running for state Assembly in the conservative Bakersfield district, told board members Monday that ‘’Harvey Milk does not rise to the level of a special day of recognition.’

The full board will vote on Mettler’s proposal on May 19. Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger signed a bill last year that designates May 22 as Harvey Milk Day. The bill ‘encourages all public schools and educational institutions to observe this day and conduct exercises remembering and recognizing the life of Harvey Milk, his accomplishments, and familiarizing pupils with the contributions he made to this state.’

The Californian reports, ‘Mettler denies he brought up the anti-Milk proposal as a way to shore up his conservative credentials.’

-- Anthony York