Who could have a problem with a bill aimed at ending bullying? Who could think there was something wrong with stopping school children from being beat up by bigger kids?
A pro-family group, of course. Specifically, the American Family Association of Michigan.
The group is bullying Sen. Valde Garcia, R-Marion Township, over a bill he co-sponsored but no longer supports that would encourage adoption of anti-bullying policies by school districts. The group's leader, Gary Glenn, doesn't like the measure because it includes a list of those who are often the target of bullies, including gay students.
Glenn told the Livingston Press and Argus in a story for editions of Thursday (March 27, 2008) that that amounts to advancing special rights for gay children.
Garcia told the Press and Argus that he had abandoned support for the bill that he co-sponsored before being approached by Glenn's group but he supports a House version that does not list any groups that should be protected from bullying. Garcia says it's better to leave the legislation general rather than tying it to any list.
The most disturbing part of the matter is Glenn's claim that he would be OK to list groups who should be protected against bullying, as long as gay children were not among them.
The newspaper notes:
"When asked whether he would have the same problem with the bill if only things like race were listed as protected classes, he said, 'we would have no objection to it.'"
Now that is scary.
On top of that, Glenn also opposes the House version of the bill, which does not include any reference to gays, because it includes a reference to a state policy on sexual orientation.
Bullying is starting to get a lot of attention in schools. A recent New York Times article featured a boy in Fayetteville, Arkansas, who has been beat up repeatedly by other boys. The school district has seemed lax in its response.
Kids shouldn't get beat up when they go to school. Isn't that fundamental? Why should a group that claims to be pro-family think anti-bullying legislation is some subversive plot?
Could it be because they actually support bullying?
3 comments:
No, actually, it couldn't be that they actually support bullying.
According to their website, the group would support the legislation if it simply prohibits all bullying against any child for any reason, without separating kids out into special categories.
Prohibiting bullying against all children would obviously include those who are gay.
Yes, it could be that they actually support bullying.
They support bullying those who are gay.
I attended the press conference on March 26 in the Capitol, and it was very emotional. I just wish some of the misinformed so-called "Christians" who sent those hateful letters could have showed up to listen and look some of those grieving parents in the eye. I have been to lots of press conferences and briefings in a 12-year journalism career, but this is the first one that almost brought me to tears. The opponents of the bills talked about "homosexual activists" showing up, but what I saw were parents who had lost a child to this cruel bullying. All kids are valuable, but many of these kids who get teased and bullied, no longer want to go to school and even take their own lives in extreme cases are our brightest and most sensitive kids.
I saw more family in the Capitol Rotunda Wednesday than the American Family Association can even dream of.
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