New Bill Protects Students From Bullying

In a 53-3 vote last night, the state Senate passed the Dignity for All Students Act, which prohibits harassment in school based on "actual or perceived race, color, weight, national origin, ethnic group, religion, religious practice, disability, sexual orientation, gender or sex."

The bill ensures discrimination complaints may be filed with the Division of Human Rights, and would require school officials to post school violence hotline information in their hallways. Governor Paterson said, "At a time when our children are bullied to the point of contemplating suicide, it is clear that school officials must be vigilant in their efforts to prevent these incidents and protect their students."

The LGBT community sees this as a human rights victory, as it is the first time the state Senate has passed any legislation which references gender identity. Empire State Pride Agenda executive director Ross Levi told Gay City News, "This significant law will now protect some of our community’s most vulnerable members — transgender youth for whom unsafe schools can be the beginning of a lifetime of marginalization that can include health issues and even homelessness."

One of the bill's sponsors, Sen. Eric T. Schneiderman (D-Manhattan), also said in a statement, "It's Pride Month and we ought to celebrate this proud moment for New York State...This legislation ensures students' right to an education in schools that are free from anti-LGBT bullying, verbal abuse and physical violence."

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By Jaya Saxena in News on June 23, 2010 1:09 PM

Comments [rss]

dadoc

The "Dignity for All Students Act" says nothing about all students, just politically protected species. Harassment, assault and abuse should not be tolerated in the school system at all, period. All kids entering that beaurocratic, self-feeding morass should be entitled to equal protection, not just the pets.

nyclaw

What the F? Really??? They passed a bill saying that kids can't pick on each other? To be fair, I haven't read the bill yet but this is totally facially ridiculous. Ok fine, schools have to post contact info for intervention hotlines. Ok fine, schools have to keep and report statistics...but is the state level government really making civil law with respect to the behavior of students in school... Ridiculous.

robingee

Guess you've never been bullied. I could help with that, if you like. Give you some life experience.

Actually, I used to beat up bullies in grade school. They were a-holes to some of the nerdy and fat kids and I would smack them around on the bus.