214@100: Elk Grove seniors hear from Gay Liberation in March 1970

In March 1970, Elk Grove High School senior sociology students had - for its time - a groundbreaking class. Six members of the Gay Liberation came to school to speak on homosexuality, part of a unit on dating, marriage, the family and human sexuality.

The speakers were invited, team-teacher Joseph Wellman told the Daily Herald at the time, to allow students the chance to ask questions of people who were essentially marginalized by society.

"I wanted them to find out that they don't have three arms," Wellman said. "I wanted to dispel some of the myths around the idea of homosexuality."

The speakers were first approved by the Elk Grove High School administration, as per policy whenever instructors wanted to bring in potentially controversial guests.

One of the members of the Gay Liberation told the kids they weren't there to "recruit" people, "but to show that we are human beings and want to be respected as such."

Another group of visitors, from the National Organization for Women (NOW) also spoke to the class.

"The students had a more hostile reaction to NOW (than Gay Liberation)," team teacher Sue Kaineg told the Daily Herald at the time.