Madeline
Rookie
- Banned
- #1
The Safe Schools Improvement Act seems to be a massive federal initiative to curb bullying and harrasment in the public schools of all states. CNN's "Anderson Cooper" had a segment tonight about whether this bill "advances a gay agenda". The bill requires the schools to record and report incidents of bullying and harrasment (to who? for what purpose?) but also to "prevent and respond to incidents" of bullying and harrasment as well as report same to parents and set up a grievance procedure for same.
The bill defines bullying and harrasment as follows:
The objection made by Focus On Family etc. seems to be that the bill will require schools to teach students about homosexuality in order to prevent any bullying etc. based on it.
I'm not sure exactly how such a complaint should be met. If a little kid comes from a home with two gay parents and gets teased because of it, the bill seems to require the school to put a stop to it...but how can they do this without using the words "gay" or "homosexual"? Much as it pains me to admit it, I think anti-gay folks might finally have themselves a legitimate issue here.
I also wonder why this needs to be a federal issue. Bullying is an emerging issue, shaped in part by technology advances. Can't we allow the states or even the counties to flounder around awhile before we draw up a uniform nationwide consensus on how best to respond?
The bill is in Committee now, and might never emerge -- but if you'd like to have an impact, this might be the best time to make your opinion known to your representative.
H.R. 2262: Safe Schools Improvement Act of 2009 (GovTrack.us)
The bill defines bullying and harrasment as follows:
(12) BULLYING- The term bullying means conduct that--
(A) adversely affects the ability of one or more students to participate in or benefit from the schools educational programs or activities by placing the student (or students) in reasonable fear of physical harm; and
(B) includes conduct that is based on--
(i) a students actual or perceived--
(I) race;
(II) color;
(III) national origin;
(IV) sex;
(V) disability;
(VI) sexual orientation;
(VII) gender identity; or
(VIII) religion;
(ii) any other distinguishing characteristics that may be defined by a State or local educational agency; or
(iii) association with a person or group with one or more of the actual or perceived characteristics listed in clause (i) or (ii).
(13) HARASSMENT- The term harassment means conduct that--
(A) adversely affects the ability of one or more students to participate in or benefit from the schools educational programs or activities because the conduct, as reasonably perceived by the student (or students), is so severe, persistent, or pervasive; and
(B) includes conduct that is based on--
(i) a students actual or perceived--
(I) race;
(II) color;
(III) national origin;
(IV) sex;
(V) disability;
(VI) sexual orientation;
(VII) gender identity; or
(VIII) religion;
(ii) any other distinguishing characteristics that may be defined by a State or local educational agency; or
(iii) association with a person or group with one or more of the actual or perceived characteristics listed in clause (i) or (ii).
(14) VIOLENCE- The term violence includes bullying and harassment..
The objection made by Focus On Family etc. seems to be that the bill will require schools to teach students about homosexuality in order to prevent any bullying etc. based on it.
I'm not sure exactly how such a complaint should be met. If a little kid comes from a home with two gay parents and gets teased because of it, the bill seems to require the school to put a stop to it...but how can they do this without using the words "gay" or "homosexual"? Much as it pains me to admit it, I think anti-gay folks might finally have themselves a legitimate issue here.
I also wonder why this needs to be a federal issue. Bullying is an emerging issue, shaped in part by technology advances. Can't we allow the states or even the counties to flounder around awhile before we draw up a uniform nationwide consensus on how best to respond?
The bill is in Committee now, and might never emerge -- but if you'd like to have an impact, this might be the best time to make your opinion known to your representative.
H.R. 2262: Safe Schools Improvement Act of 2009 (GovTrack.us)