SEXUAL ORIENTATION INCLUDED IN "BULLYING" BILL

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Sexual Orientation Included in 'Bullying' Bill

Special Report - May 24, 2007
A bill, H.B. 1366–School Violence Prevention Act, directing local school boards to adopt policies to protect public school students from bullying and harassment passed 2nd reading in the House on Wednesday, May 23. An amendment offered by Rep. Skip Stam to remove a number of specially enumerated classifications including "sexual orientation" and "gender identity or expression" failed on a 58-59 vote. The vote was originally a 58-58 tie, and Speaker Joe Hackney (D-Orange) broke the tie (although he really did not have to since the amendment failed to garner a majority of the vote.) Rep. Karen Ray (R-Iredell), who voted against the amendment, made a motion to reconsider the vote by which the amendment failed, but her motion was defeated and the bill passed 2nd reading. Rep. Stam objected to 3rd reading, so the bill will come before the House again today. This bill will open wide the door in our public schools to talk to children about homosexual acts, gender identity, "questioning" (you are too young to know your sexual preference), and other kinds of sexual orientation issues.

Bill Brooks, president of the North Carolina Family Policy Council commented: “We are disappointed the amendment to remove the list of possible bullying victims. We believe the focus of the bill should be on the bully and the act of bullying, and how to prevent it, and not on the potential victims. If a school employee sees bullying taking place, the victim's race, sex, gender, sexual orientation or gender identity should make no difference. The bullying should be stopped and the bully should be disciplined.”

For more information on this issue, see our Issue Brief: "Bullying Bill Would Give Special Status to 'Alternative' Sexual Behaviors."