http://my.hsj.org http://my.hsj.org en-us Copyright 2008 - All Rights Reserved. Fri, 24 May 2013 05:22:35 GMT 15 By Noah V.
Bullying has always been a problem in any state and country you go to. No matter where a person may be, there will be bullying of some sort where they are, whether they want it to be there of not. This applies to Michigan as well, a state that, up until recently, was one of three states that had no form of anti-bullying law. The law - named after a Michigan teenager who committed suicide after bullying - could be loosely interpreted as free ride for bullying, however, by most. Included nearly at the last minute, a clause was added by republicans that dismisses any bullying that can be tied to religious beliefs. The law would then allow virtually any bullying case to be dismissed simply by claiming a religious belief against the victim’s preferences, whether they be based on sexual orientation or religious faith. This clause worked against the efforts that the law were supposed to help. Democrat Gretchen Whitmer condemned the adding of the clause. “You may be able to pat yourselves on the back today and say that you did something, but in actuality you are explicitly outlining how to get away with bullying,” she says. “As passed today, bullying kids is okay if a student, parent, teacher or school employee can come up with a moral or religious reason for doing it.” Many other spoke out against the clause specifically. After serious condemnation by the public and other high-ranking officials, a house version was adopted that didn’t include the clause and was approved by both house and senate without trouble.This is proof, however, of how difficult the war against bullying really is. The problem never really will go away after one bill, no matter how effective it may be at first. Nothing is effective enough to change the minds of everyone. ]]> Sun, 25 Mar 2012 22:04:21 GMT