Editorial:

We’re willing to agree with the Orange County Board of Education’s decision to oppose commemorating May 22 as Harvey Milk Day.

That said, Alexandria Coronado, the board president who unleashed a tirade last week about schools supporting the homosexual “lifestyle,” owes her community a major apology.

A state bill that recently passed the Legislature would establish a day of “special significance” in schools to honor the slain gay-rights leader, along with other days honoring teachers, the California poppy and environmentalist John Muir. In September, the board voted unanimously against the bill, saying the celebrations would detract from instructional time and force districts to pay expenses.

Fair enough. We know educational time is precious. But when Coronado took the opportunity to voice her feelings about sexual orientation, we were appalled.

“If you want that lifestyle, don’t make my tax dollars pay for it, and don’t make me teach it to my children,” Coronado said, assuring the reporter that she has a number of gay friends.

Let’s pick apart that statement. First of all, homosexuality is not a “lifestyle,” but a genetic state of being, the same as ethnicity, height or hair color.

Second, Coronado should accept the reality that most children are taught about homosexuality in school on a regular basis on the playground, where homophobic slurs are a staple of school culture.

Ginger Hahn, the director of a local advocacy group, told the Independent that gay rights are “the last civil rights frontier.” Reading comments like Coronado’s, we find it hard to disagree. Students are taught to shed prejudice and embrace diversity at every level of school, but when instructors whip out “To Kill a Mockingbird” or “The Diary of Anne Frank,” there seem to be few protests about “teaching” kids to be black or Jewish.

Milk had a number of straight allies — including San Francisco Mayor George Moscone, who died by the same assassin — and dedicated his political career to fighting discrimination, not trying to change others’ sexual preference. That is the essence of a civil rights leader, and schools, however they go about it, should acknowledge his efforts.

If the board voted to bypass Harvey Milk Day for time and money reasons, we understand. But to decry legislators for trying to induce a more tolerant atmosphere in the classroom is shameful.