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