Maryland Adopts Anti-Bullying Law

[DeSwiss]

Maryland adopts anti-bullying law

PlanetOut
Wed May 14, 7:30 PM ET

Gov. Martin O'Malley on Tuesday signed a bill that makes Maryland one of the few U.S. states to protect LGBT students from bullying in schools. Maryland becomes the seventh state to protect students on the basis of gender identity or expression and the 11th state to do so based on sexual orientation, according to a news release from the Gay, Lesbian, and Straight Education Network and Equality Maryland.

"We applaud Gov. O'Malley and the bipartisan supporters in the Maryland legislature for taking action to make Maryland schools safer," GLSEN executive director Kevin Jennings said in a statement.

"Feeling safe in school is directly related to academic achievement and student success. This law is an important step in reducing bullying, improving school climate and making school better for all Maryland students," Jennings said.

The measure will require school districts to develop bullying prevention programs for students, staff, volunteers and parents.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/po/20080514/co_po/marylandadoptsantibullyinglaw">LINK

- Finally. Thank you Maryland for taking another step in joining the ranks of the civilized people on the planet. Now, forty-three more to go. Including mine....

{http://www.equalitygiving.org/States-of-Equality-and-Gay-Rights-Scorecard">Click: States-of-Equality-and-Gay-Rights-Scorecard}
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DeSwiss


http://atheisttoolbox.com/">The Atheist Toolbox

[ccharles000]

1. This is wonderful.

[KSinTX]

2. This should cover every child in every school

It is disgusting that teachers are often stymied from providing the proper discipline to bullies. I worked with a wonderful professor who specialized in this field and I have to say I never knew just how pervasive this was nor how violent it has become.

[DeSwiss]

3. It's disgusting teachers are often stymied from providing the proper discipline to bullies...

And its even more disgusting when teachers know of, or are witness to the bullying taking place, but do absolutely nothing because their highly developed "moral and/or religious beliefs" provide them with the justification and cover to ignore the pain, discrimination and harrassment of those who are gay.

- And they are the worst of all....

[KSinTX]

4. I think any child, gay or not, would unlikely make the distinction

between whose pain is worse. I know there are teachers who are enablers (jocks "pick on" the nerds, cheerleaders "tease" the geeks) but whatever the reason, there needs to be protection for all. Most teachers do not endorse or abide such misbehavior but in many schools their hands are tied due to overly indulgent parental interference. I don't minimize anyone's pain and harassment but it cuts across all social boundaries and is marked by arbitrary social groupings. In many cases, the kids accused of being gay are not. Horrifically, these violent verbal and physical attacks too often result in injury and, in worst cases, death - both from instigators and retaliators.

Good having the discussion :)

[murielm99]

5. My husband ended up being involved in a tragic case

last summer. He had to serve on a coroner's jury. There were three cases. The first two were routine.

The third case involved the suicide of a teenage boy. His family testified to the bullying and teasing he had endured at the hands of the jocks during the last school year. The boys who were abusing him repeatedly teased him about being gay. It was more likely that he was socially awkward.

His parents went to work, and his sister, home from college, went to check on him because he was too quiet. She found his body.

His family had known about the bullying. They had even gone to school to talk with the principal about it. Everyone had hoped that the boy would get a break over the summer. Instead, his tormentors were emailing and text messaging ugly things to him.

The police have all the emails and text messages now. There will be charges against the bullies. One life is over and several more are damaged because no one could find a way to control this type of behavior.

[shireen]

6. excellent ... good work legislature & O'Malley!

high schools can be brutal environments for many kids that don't fit some perceived societal "norm" (code for prejudice). First CA marriages for same-sex couples, now this good news. Let's hope it's the first in a wave of reforms to get LGBTs the mainstream acceptance for the normal human beings that they are!

[undergroundpanther]

7. wish

I was born in the 90's instead of the 60's. It was hell growing up in the 70's being transgender..nobody understood, everyday I was bullied. Seems others knew something was different with me,but I didn't understand it either,all I knew was doing"girly"and looking like a female even back than was uncomfortable.