N.Y. Governor to Sign Antibullying Bill

By Julie Bolcer

DAVID PATERSON 20091107 X390 (GETTY) | ADVOCATE.COM

Governor David Paterson

On Wednesday, New York governor David Paterson will sign the Dignity for All Students Act, a long-awaited antibullying law that, in a first for the state, includes protections for gender identity and expression.

DASA, as the measure is known, passed the senate in June after being passed by the assembly every year since 2002. Governor Paterson will sign the bill Wednesday at 11 a.m. in a ceremony at the LGBT Community Center in Manhattan.

The law would make New York one of more than 40 states with antibullying laws, 14 of which plus the District of Columbia provide inclusive protections based on sexual orientation and gender identity or expression. The signing will occur as antigay Christian groups like Focus on the Family have seized on the back-to-school season to decry antibullying measures as a way to “promote homosexuality.”

According to the Transgender Legal Defense and Education Fund, which invited members to the bill signing via e-mail Friday, “The Dignity for All Students Act would allow teachers, parents, students, and school administrators to address bullying and bias-related behavior of all kinds that interfere with student safety and learning. The act will foster the development of rules to prevent and respond to discriminatory harassment and hate violence. It will establish teacher, staff, and administrative training guidelines. Discrimination awareness will be incorporated into civility and character-education curricula. And incidents of bias harassment will have to be reported to the state education department."

The Dignity for All Students Act will protect students on the basis of gender identity and expression, sexual orientation, race, color, national origin, ethnic group, religion, religious practice, weight, and disability.

DASA represents a historic step for New York as the first state law to include protections based on gender identity and expression. Just weeks before the bill passed the senate, the Gender Expression Non-discrimination Act, also an eagerly awaited piece of legislation already passed by the assembly, died in the senate judiciary committee. GENDA would protect transgender individuals from discrimination in employment, housing, and public accommodations, after the Sexual Orientation Non-discrimination Act failed to include them in 2003.

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Reader Comments

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Name: SteveMD2
Date posted: 9/4/2010 10:59:36 PM
Hometown: Baltimore

Comment:
A number of states - I think IL, WA, etc have passed antibullying laws that focus on protecting gay children, or children who are bullied as being gay. In some states the vote was unanimous. But in some states, eg MN, the gov palwenty, a republcian asshole, vetoed the bill. These are the so called christians who talk about protecting life. But could give a shit less when gays are driven to suicide. Which included the two kids, one black, one Latino, who in the same week in May 2009 hanged themselves. Not because they were gay, but because they were taunted literally to death that they were gay. I hope everyone here realizes that no mattter what the tea party repubs, or the christo-fascists say, electing them is signing death warrants for children, gay children, and possibly a new Auschwitz. Eg The so called Family Research council, and gov Perry of TX have called for jailing gays. Code words for Auschwitz II. Obama isn't gays hope and dreams, but consider the altermtive
Back to top Post a Comment Report Abuse
Name: SteveMD2
Date posted: 9/4/2010 9:57:45 PM
Hometown: Baltimore

Comment:
hUCKABEE AND HIS KIND ARE JUST RIGHT WING CHRISTO-FASCIST. Who always need someone to hate to sell their corrupt brand of love. He's southern Baptist - the same church developed in the south in the early 1850s to support slavery, gave us the KKK and segregation after the war. Now they have someone new to hate - the gays. These people belong in a mental institution. Their hatred strongly suggests that they were abused as children. The nutcases from the Westboro baptist church are a perfect example of abused become abusers. Google "Adicted to Hate" for a public domain book about them. Saddam Hussein was abused sexually and physically by the uncle that brought him up. Hitler may well have been abused by his church. No wonder they have not yet EXcommunciated the worst murderer in History. The church says "protect life", while it has been hiding endless sexual, abuse of children all over the world. Run by a maniac who said at xmas 08 that gays would destroy the human race
Back to top Post a Comment Report Abuse
Name: Mark
Date posted: 9/3/2010 8:38:03 PM
Hometown: WF, NY

Comment:
We also need this bill on the federal level.
Back to top Post a Comment Report Abuse
Name: Jessica
Date posted: 9/3/2010 4:29:00 PM
Hometown: NJ

Comment:
"decry anti-bullying measures as a way to “promote homosexuality." Why the hell haven't the Dem's called this right wing attack as it is. They (the right) want it to be OK for CHILDREN to be attacked and beat up in SCHOOL if someone thinks the student is gay. Way to promote violence against CHILDREN Mike Huckashit!

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