NC: Anti-bullying bill passes -- awaits Gov. Perdue's signature

[ccharles000]

Finally, the children in the state of North Carolina -- all children -- will be able to learn in a safer environment, and protections include perceived sexual orientatino and gender identity. The North Carolina House passed the School Violence Prevention Act (SB 526) by a 58-57 vote. The bill now goes to Governor Bev Perdue for her signature.(Equality NC):
"This bill is a historic step in North Carolina and the South," said Ian Palmquist, Executive Director. "Today a narrow majority stood up to make all kids-including LGBT kids-safer at school. We call on Governor Perdue to sign this important bill and make it law."
Palmquist thanked everyone involved in making passage possible, including the primary sponsor Sen. Julia Boseman; the House primary sponsors, Reps. Rick Glazier, Susan Fisher, Grier Martin and Cullie Tarleton; Lt. Governor Walter Dalton; Speaker Joe Hackney; and all who voted for the bill.

He also recognized all of Equality NC's amazing staff, interns, volunteers, online activists and lobbyist Alex Miller who have worked tirelessly the last three years to make this possible and the amazing coalition of organzations that participated in the Prevent School Violence NC coalition to build support for the bill.

News 14 Carolina:
It's great news for supporters like Linda Griffin of Zebulon. Griffin's son Alex lives with autism. She said the bullying he took got so bad, she took him out of Wake County Public Schools in the seventh grade.
"He was teased, taunted, called names, his book bag was dumped, his lunch tray was dumped, and he was actually hit," said Griffin. "He cut an article out of the paper and laid it on my pillow, and it was about a kid who was bullied in school and committed suicide. I was horrified."

Like so many North Carolina kids, Alex became a target because he was different.

Lawmakers listened to a letter written by Griffin about her family's experience dealing with bullies in school. She hopes it helps put a face on the issue, and that our state will make kids don't get bullied at school, just because they're different.

http://www.pamshouseblend.com/diary/11658/nc-antibullying-bill-passes-awaits-gov-perdues-signature

[Eric J in MN]

1. The Republican governor of Minnesota vetoed a similar bill.

I don't know all the details of either bill, but Governor Tim Pawlenty (R-MN) claimed that it was redundant to specify bullying gays when bullying in general is already covered.

[kevinbgoode]

2. Of course, you can bet the 57 "no" votes were led by the

despicable, dominionist-driven GOP bullies, who suddenly feared that their churches....er...political action committees...couldn't exercise their right to bully in the name of white baby Jesus.

[ccharles000]

3. ....

The amount of wingnuttery tossed at this bill by the fringe right was disgusting. Rather than protect children like Griffin, grown men in the House were making arguments like this against the bill:

"It's not about protecting children. It's about accepting the term sexual orientation and gender identity and how they define human sexual behavior. That's the whole point of it," Rep. Nelson Dollar said.

...State Republicans came forward Tuesday to say they have concerns about the use of the term "sexual orientation" in the bill. They pointed to a court case in Iowa where the use of the term in one bill opened the door to the possibility of same-sex marriages.

" constitution, which is the same as ours, its defense of marriage, which is the same as ours, and used the fact that the legislature had put sexual orientation in the statute as a reason to declare unconstitutional the Defense of Marriage Act," Rep. Paul Stam said.

[kevinbgoode]

8. I'd love to take the floor of the House and rattle off made-up stuff

about Republican relationships. Do these clowns really think the entire world is soooo stupid as to believe the created-from-thin-air bull*hit they come up with to deny other Americans their constitutional rights?

Just once, I wish someone would stand up in the legislature, look the GOP side of the aisle squarely in the eye, and say "we have concerns about the use of the term "marriage" being used by Republicans, who clearly have a fetish for sado-masochistic relationships and constant three-ways featuring their imaginary god-of-the-hour."

Ah...but I'm a dreamer. And good gosh, Charles...if I was about a million years younger, I'd be flirting with those beautiful blue eyes.

[ccharles000]

9. kevin your so sweet

:blush:

[KamaAina]

4. And again the links between LGBT and disability rights are made manifest

this is rapidly becoming my new crusade, working from the disability side.

It's great news for supporters like Linda Griffin of Zebulon. Griffin's son Alex lives with autism. She said the bullying he took got so bad, she took him out of Wake County Public Schools in the seventh grade.

I sense the makings of a coalition that could work for both of us (actually, the makings have been there since a court case in MN in the '80s involving a woman whose partner was denied the right to see her in the hospital after a disabling injury).

[ccharles000]

7. interesting

[AndyTiedye]

5. Is There Any Chance Perdpp Will Sign It?

Bullying being part of those Repiglickin' family values and all that.

[ccharles000]

6. Purdue is a Democrat and I believe she said she would sign it.

[ccharles000]

10. kick

[ccharles000]

11. one more kick