Elfbarf
4 Nov 2011, 02:28pm
Original Thread (on Facepunch): Michigan GOP passes anti-bullying bill - that lets you bully people if you have a religious reason for it - and names it after a gay kid who committed suicide for that reason (http://www.facepunch.com/threads/1137940)
Michigan's Anti-Bullying Bill: Protecting Religious Tormenters? | Swampland | TIME.com (http://swampland.time.com/2011/11/04/why-does-michigans-anti-bullying-bill-protect-religious-tormenters/)
Gretchen Whitmer, Michigan Senator, Slams New Bullying Legislation (VIDEO) (http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/11/03/gretchen-whitmer-michigan-senator-bullying-bill_n_1073928.html)
The Republican-led Michigan Senate passed a new bill requiring state school districts to implement anti-bullying policies, but one Democratic senator believes specifics of the legislation don't go far enough.
Known as Matt's Safe School Law, the bill effectively bans harassment in schools and requires every district to have an anti-bullying policy. The law was inspired by Matt Epling, a Michigan teen who committed suicide shortly after an anti-gay hazing incident.
But in a stinging floor speech, Senator Gretchen Whitmer expressed her dissatisfaction with the new law, which is said to create a special exception for bullies who have "a sincerely held religious belief or moral conviction," as well as neglecting to protect to bullying against students based on sexual orientation or gender identity,
"You may be able to pat yourselves on the back today and say that you did something, but in actuality you are explicitly outlining how to get away with bullying," said Senator Gretchen Whitmer. "As passed today, bullying kids is okay if a student, parent, teacher or school employee can come up with a moral or religious reason for doing it."
This year, Republicans only agreed to consider an anti-bullying measure that did not require school districts to report bullying incidents, did not include any provisions for enforcement or teacher training, and did not hold administrators accountable if they fail to act. And they fought back Democratic attempts to enumerate particular types of students who are prone to being bullied, such as religious and racial minorities, and gay students. But it was the addition of special protections for religiously-motivated bullying that led all 11 Democratic senators to vote against the legislation they had long championed.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zDK-ja8PLgg
Stay classy, GOP.
Michigan's Anti-Bullying Bill: Protecting Religious Tormenters? | Swampland | TIME.com (http://swampland.time.com/2011/11/04/why-does-michigans-anti-bullying-bill-protect-religious-tormenters/)
Gretchen Whitmer, Michigan Senator, Slams New Bullying Legislation (VIDEO) (http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/11/03/gretchen-whitmer-michigan-senator-bullying-bill_n_1073928.html)
The Republican-led Michigan Senate passed a new bill requiring state school districts to implement anti-bullying policies, but one Democratic senator believes specifics of the legislation don't go far enough.
Known as Matt's Safe School Law, the bill effectively bans harassment in schools and requires every district to have an anti-bullying policy. The law was inspired by Matt Epling, a Michigan teen who committed suicide shortly after an anti-gay hazing incident.
But in a stinging floor speech, Senator Gretchen Whitmer expressed her dissatisfaction with the new law, which is said to create a special exception for bullies who have "a sincerely held religious belief or moral conviction," as well as neglecting to protect to bullying against students based on sexual orientation or gender identity,
"You may be able to pat yourselves on the back today and say that you did something, but in actuality you are explicitly outlining how to get away with bullying," said Senator Gretchen Whitmer. "As passed today, bullying kids is okay if a student, parent, teacher or school employee can come up with a moral or religious reason for doing it."
This year, Republicans only agreed to consider an anti-bullying measure that did not require school districts to report bullying incidents, did not include any provisions for enforcement or teacher training, and did not hold administrators accountable if they fail to act. And they fought back Democratic attempts to enumerate particular types of students who are prone to being bullied, such as religious and racial minorities, and gay students. But it was the addition of special protections for religiously-motivated bullying that led all 11 Democratic senators to vote against the legislation they had long championed.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zDK-ja8PLgg
Stay classy, GOP.