Anti bullying legislation

RichieC

So michigan state has passed anti bullying legislation, which is great, right?

well not when it's the most useless pile of crap possible, I really don't understand how these senators are justifying their pay..

check this out:

The Michigan Senate passed legislation Wednesday that requires school districts to develop anti-bullying policies, but the father of the boy for whom the bill is named says he has strong objections to language inserted at the last minute.
One of the reforms will require school districts to have procedures in place to address bullying complaints. But the bill now also has language that says requirements don’t “prohibit a statement of a sincerely held religious belief or moral conviction of a school employee, school volunteer, pupil, or a pupil’s parent or guardian.”

So as long as your religion justified your bigotry then it's A-Okay... what a world.. they might as well have done nothing..

here's some supplemental reading for anyone so interested..

http://blog.senatedems.com/?p=111

I hate blacks = you're outta here!

Me and Christ hate blacks... well you might argue he did since the anti civil rights crowd did for long enough...

Don't even get me started on what it means for the most vulnerable section of society when it comes to Bullying.. the LGBT crowd...

what a waste of time and money...

AhSureTisGrand

requires school districts to develop anti-bullying policies,

What does this part do? Is the legislation more specific or was it useless even without those 30 words?

Amerika

I see it was passed pretty much along party lines. But from what I read, in this case I would personally have to side with the Democrats (excuse me, as I suddenly fee the need to shower :pac:).

RichieC

AhSureTisGrand wrote: »

What does this part do? Is the legislation more specific or was it useless even without those 30 words?

Well I'd say we need a policy expert in to tell us that. It doesn't take one to see that last paragraph basically kills it with fire.

Manach

I'd agree with this. The political background is the years of attacks by organisations such as the ACLU taken against the least shred of religious display within the US Public school system. This amendment allows the freedom to hold & express beliefs contrary those pushing a relativist agenda. It protects the beliefs of religious kids who would be otherwise silenced by the powerful teacher unions and school authorities fearful of lawsuits from the unamended version.

AhSureTisGrand

Manach wrote: »

I'd agree with this. The political background is the years of attacks by organisations such as the ACLU taken against the least shred of religious display within the US Public school system. This amendment allows the freedom to hold & express beliefs contrary those pushing a relativist agenda. It protects the beliefs of religious kids who would be otherwise silenced by the powerful teacher unions and school authorities fearful of lawsuits from the unamended version.

How exactly does expressing their religious beliefs advance their education?

frank28

RichieC wrote: »

So michigan state has passed anti bullying legislation, which is great, right?

well not when it's the most useless pile of crap possible, I really don't understand how these senators are justifying their pay..

check this out:



So as long as your religion justified your bigotry then it's A-Okay... what a world.. they might as well have done nothing..

here's some supplemental reading for anyone so interested..

http://blog.senatedems.com/?p=111

I hate blacks = you're outta here!

Me and Christ hate blacks... well you might argue he did since the anti civil rights crowd did for long enough...

Don't even get me started on what it means for the most vulnerable section of society when it comes to Bullying.. the LGBT crowd...

what a waste of time and money...

Schools need to take the issue of bullying seriously. Stop thinking of it as simply meeting a criteria or another legislative overreaching demand. Creating an atmosphere of safety and zero tolerance, where bullying is simply understood as unacceptable, is critical to the long lasting change and ensuring youth security and well being. Assemblies with staff will not accomplish this. It’s about culture change. anti-bullying

Manic Moran

AhSureTisGrand wrote: »

How exactly does expressing their religious beliefs advance their education?

Wrong question. How does repressing their beliefs advance their education?

Laws prohibiting an act should never be justified on the basis of "Justify why you need or want to be able to do or say this."

Sindri

Instead of statement, maybe it should be conviction, but you'd think that would already be covered.

Would it still not be hate speech anyway?

diamondsny

I've never understood why inequality has ever been justified on the basis of religion.

southsiderosie

It would be a lot easier for school administrators to deal with bullying if they could actually sanction kids without the idiot parents getting involved. When I ran an after-school program, I had an argument with one (typical) parent because I punished his kid for taunting another kid for being gay. The dad didn't see why calling another kid a ****** was a problem.

I think there are far too many people out there who use 'deeply held beliefs' as an excuse to be a dick. If you are really a Christian, then you have no business trying to justify away the fact that your kid revels in tormenting other children. And too often, kids that are bullies have parents who are bullies as well, so I am not sure how much this legislation can actually do to address the issue.

RichieC

Manic Moran wrote: »

Wrong question. How does repressing their beliefs advance their education?

Laws prohibiting an act should never be justified on the basis of "Justify why you need or want to be able to do or say this."

Not very useful input here though is it? since in this case one kid expressing his parents beliefs is retarding an other child's education.

Memnoch

Manach wrote: »

It protects the beliefs of religious kids who would be otherwise silenced by the powerful teacher unions and school authorities fearful of lawsuits from the unamended version.

Nonsense. It isn't about trying to silence the beliefs of religious kids. What people ARE trying to do is to stop schools and other public institutions being used to advocate a particular belief.

School prayer is one example. If you have a school prayer then you should have one for every religion that the children of the school come from. Otherwise all of the others are being repressed to benefit the one being said.

This is about freedom FROM religious oppression, not the other way around.