Contact: Laura Saucedo Cunningham, ProtectMarriage.com, 714-504-4063

SACRAMENTO, October 18 /Christian Newswire/ -- ProtectMarriage.com - Yes on 8 today released a campaign theme targeting Latinos in California, "Family is Sacred: Protect Children's Education," aimed to inform Latino parents about the serious consequences California's children will face if the Supreme Court's same-sex marriage ruling is not overturned by enacting Proposition 8. California's state Education Code (Section 51890) requires that teachers instruct children as young as kindergarteners about marriage. Proposition 8 protects children from being taught in California public schools that same-sex marriage is the same as traditional marriage.

The Latino vote will be critical in the November 4 election. Latino voters in California have previously gone to the polls against same-sex marriage. In 2000, more than 70 percent of Latinos supported Proposition 22, which formally defined marriage between a man and a woman.

"It is crucial to educate the Latino community about the importance of Proposition 8 and the serious consequences children will face if it is defeated," said Frank Schubert, Yes on 8 Co-Campaign Manager. "Proposition 8 protects our children from being taught in public schools about 'same-sex marriage' as has already happened in Massachusetts. We're talking about seven and eight year old children being exposed to gay marriage in the schools, including being read a book, 'King and King,' that tells a story of a prince who marries another prince rather than a princess. Our opponents want Californians to think that gay marriage is only about two loving adults, but the Supreme Court's ruling has profound consequences for all Californians, not the least of which is what kids will be taught in public schools."

To address that issue, Yes on 8 released last week a Spanish-language television ad highlighting the Massachusetts incident and the book, 'King and King.' The ad is airing on the top Hispanic broadcast stations statewide. In addition, Yes on 8 has created a 1-800 toll-free line and has information available in Spanish on their Web site to effectively inform Spanish-speaking Latinos about Proposition 8.

"There is nothing that is more sacred and valued to Latinos than their families," said Schubert. "Latino parents need to know that the consequences their children will face if Proposition 8 is defeated are serious and real. Instructing young children about same-sex marriage in school undermines the rights of parents to approach this subject with their children on their own timetable and according to their family's values and beliefs, religious or otherwise."

The consequences affecting children of the Supreme Court's same-sex marriage ruling are already taking place. In the same week that the No on 8 campaign launched an ad that labeled as "lies" claims that same-sex marriage would be taught in schools to young children, a first grade class in San Francisco was taken to City Hall as part of a school-sponsored trip to a gay wedding last Friday. According to the San Francisco Chronicle, the first graders were taken away from their studies to attend the wedding of their teacher and her lesbian partner.

The public school field trip demonstrates that the California Supreme Court's decision to legalize same-sex marriage has real consequences for children and society overall. The field trip underscores the Yes on 8 campaign's message that unless Prop. 8 passes, children will be taught about same-sex marriage in public schools. "Not only can it happen, it has already happened," Schubert said.