Anti-bullying legislation: A personal perspective

My posts to this point have been objective, reporting the issue of anti-bullying legislation from both viewpoints. Now, however, I would like to give my personal perspective on the issue. It is my belief that strict anti-bullying legislation is essential to schools in Texas and around the country. I understand many parents feel it is their right to guide their children morally and ethically. But no one agrees with bullying, and I believe schools adopting stricter anti-bullying policies will help educate and prevent bullying from happening or going too far. When Joel Burns visited our class, he told us 19 suicides happen a day on average. Eleven of those are college age or younger. Four or five are within the LGBT community. The Texas School Safety Center reported four bully-related suicides of Texas students since the 2009 Texas Legislative Session. As a LGBT advocate, it is a shame so many LGBT youth commit suicide, and most because of bullying. And it is the teacher and school’s responsibility to stop this behavior in schools.

Texas Legislation Tracker

Equality Texas reported recently the progression of HB 1942 by Rep. Diane Patrick, which has been placed on the House General State Calendar for Monday, May 2nd. This is not a bill I began tracking in January, but it has made progress in the Texas Legislature. Equality Texas is urging people to contact their representatives to push for this bill’s passage, claiming that time is running out. There has not been any progress on the bills I am tracking since my last post, except for SB 205. It passed the Senate on April 26, 2011, with a vote of 29 yeas and 2 nays.

 

 

Rep. Diane Patrick, District 94 

Picture from:  http://www.house.state.tx.us/members/member-page/?district=94

-Michael Dabbs