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Illinois Passes Antibullying Bill


CLASSROOM SCHOOL X390 (PHOTOS.COM) | ADVOCATE.COM

With a vote of 108-0, the Illinois house of representatives Friday passed a bill requiring schools to adopt policies prohibiting bullying based on sexual orientation, gender identity, and several other characteristics, according to the LBGT rights group Equality Illinois.

The state senate passed the measure earlier this month, with only two votes against it, and it now goes to Gov. Pat Quinn, who is expected to sign it into law.

The legislation also requires schools to offer students training in how to resist bullying and take other reasonable steps to stop harassment.

“Students who are perceived to be lesbian, gay, bisexual, or transgender are particularly vulnerable to bullying,” said Equality Illinois CEO Bernard Cherkasov. “And the attempted suicide rate among LGBT students, which is as much as three times higher than the general average, presents alarming evidence for just how urgently we need this law. This was a no-nonsense bill, and I am so glad that it sailed quickly through both chambers of the legislature.”

Equality Illinois was one of the early supporters of the legislation. Other groups that worked for it include the Illinois Safe Schools Alliance and Illinois State Board of Education.

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Reader Comments
  • Name: Melody Herreid
    Date posted: 7/1/2010 9:27:17 AM
    Hometown: Plano

    Comment:

    This bill should also contain phrasing that includes bullying by teachers, principals, or any school staff. I have seen this done and this must also be included.

  • Name: Pharme575
    Date posted: 7/1/2010 5:32:51 AM
    Hometown: http://opeyixa.com/qoxso/5.html

    Comment:

    Hello! gefdkdc interesting gefdkdc site!

  • Name: Don R
    Date posted: 4/26/2010 6:02:12 PM
    Hometown: Los Angeles

    Comment:

    What makes bullying and teasing of LGBT kids particularly poignant, and contributes to the alarming rate of suicide attempts and self harm, is that whereas kids who are teased for other issues like race, physical differences, or economic challenges, can be comforted by parents and/or other caring adults at the end of the day is that most LGBT kids don't get to go home at the end of the day and get support from parents who share their particular experience. The vast majority of LGBT kids must navigate the greatest challenges of adolescence alone. They can not got to their parents and say "why are WE different?" Many do not even feel safe revealing to their parents that they are different. So the shame of being teased or bullied for being gay must be suffered alone. Teasing and bullying on any level is terrible and painful. That is true. But suffering that pain alone without having someone to comfort or challenge those prejudices places the issue in a distinctly different

  • Name: Daniel Cole
    Date posted: 4/25/2010 6:02:54 PM
    Hometown: Toledo

    Comment:

    Congratulations Illinois! Phoebe Prince and others that have been bullied to death will be smiling from heaven. Hopefully the Illinois legislation will become the impetus for other states to follow. Massachusetts- where Phoebe Prince lived- is still amending their law. If all states would just follow Illinois's bill, legislation would pass much faster. Why does each state have to tweak the bill’s language each time just to satisfy some legislator’s ego?

  • Name: lizzie
    Date posted: 4/25/2010 4:39:58 PM
    Hometown: miami

    Comment:

    Ali, I think you are absolutely right and agree that all kids should be protected from bullying! But, Ali, before you agree completely with Phillip, you should be fully aware of what you are agreeing to. Phillip always makes negative comments about LGBT, on every post that I have seen, he makes a negative point about gays, even where the point isn't relevant to the story, e.g., about the horrible murder/rape of a child by 2 gay men, although the story had nothing to do with murder or kids. In the case of bullying, statistics show that verbal and physical acts of hostility toward gay kids is a significant problem in schools. Let me ask you Ali, do you think the problem of bullying against tall kids is a prevalent problem in our schools that needs special legislative effort to address? I'd guess that bullying or making fun of foreign kids who are not native speakers of English may be a real problem, but I don't know and was NOT one of the categories on Phillip's list in any case.

  • Name: alli
    Date posted: 4/25/2010 11:29:42 AM
    Hometown: kansas city

    Comment:

    I agree with Phillip. Why should only gay kids be protected? What about kids with English as a second language, poor kids, tall kids, fat kids? They get bullied, too.

  • Name: melvin
    Date posted: 4/24/2010 4:35:40 PM
    Hometown: South Dakota

    Comment:

    This is a good thing. For those who do not follow up on it have the law to go after them. It gives parents more clout on fighting the bullying.

  • Name: all of us
    Date posted: 4/24/2010 3:19:14 AM
    Hometown: everywhere

    Comment:

    Phillip from Reseda, you are a never-ending ass! ( l ) Have a nice weekend.

  • Name: Eric Marinelli
    Date posted: 4/24/2010 2:42:00 AM
    Hometown: Horsham, PA

    Comment:

    The point of specifically protecting gay students in the law is that some teachers, due to political or religious reasons, might be less inclined to act on homophobic bullying than other types of bullying. Bullying based on wealth or physical attributes is pretty much universally looked down upon, so there are not currently any clauses specifically prohibiting them. However, Phillip is partially right; you might as well add them too.

  • Name: doug
    Date posted: 4/23/2010 11:45:39 PM
    Hometown: vb

    Comment:

    there are anti bullying codes across the country, already- the new thing is adding LGBT students- many teachers ignore this.



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