Posted on 03/11/2013 7:26:50 PM PDT by Morgana
ST.PAUL, MN, March 11, 2013 (LifeSiteNews) – Homosexual activists in Minnesota are pushing for a broad “Safe and Supportive Schools Act” that would outlaw speech that could interfere with a student's ability "to participate in a safe and supportive learning environment." The bill is being promoted as the strongest "anti-bullying" law in the nation, but critics say it could have a chilling effect on free speech, especially in religious schools that teach Christian beliefs on sexuality.
“We agree … that school bullying is a serious issue that needs to be ameliorated,” said Pete Noll, education director of the Minnesota Catholic Conference, testifying before the state legislature. “All children are entitled to a safe, secure learning environment.” But he disagreed that the “Safe and Supportive Schools Act” should apply to religious schools.
The bill, as written, would apply not only to public schools, but also to private schools that receive resources of any kind from the state. As Noll reminded the legislature last Tuesday, although Catholic and other religious schools are forbidden to receive state funding, many of their students receive textbooks, testing and other services from the state. He said he worried this might be used as justification to freeze speech in private religious schools.
“Combating bullying should never be a pretext to impose an agenda of groups of people, or to undermine the rights of parents to bestow their religious or moral values on their children,” the Catholic conference wrote in a statement.
The bill was introduced by state senator Scott Dibble, an open homosexual who “married” his partner in California before the passage of Proposition 8 (their marriage is not recognized by the state of Minnesota). He announced the bill’s introduction in a guest post for the homosexual “Human Rights Campaign” website and thanked the group for their support. He also credited gay activist group Outfront Minnesota for its role in the development of the bill, saying that the group “leads this work” and is “poised to push for a positive vote.”
Click "like" if you want to defend true marriage.
A similar bill was introduced during the 2009 legislative session and passed both the House and Senate by overwhelming margins, but it was vetoed by then-Governor Tim Pawlenty. If it passes this year, Governor Mark Dayton, who helped to write the bill, is expected to sign.
Dibble celebrated Dayton’s support. “Without [Dayton’s] leadership, I’m not sure we’d be able to make today’s announcement—with such bright prospects for passage in just a few weeks’ time,” Dibble said.
The “Safe and Supportive Schools Act” defines bullying as:
…use of one or a series of words, images, or actions, transmitted directly or indirectly between individuals or through technology, that a reasonable person knows or should know, under the circumstances, will have the effect of interfering with the ability of an individual, including a student who observes the conduct, to participate in a safe and supportive learning environment. Examples of bullying may include, but are not limited to, conduct that:
1. places an individual in reasonable fear of harm to person or property, including through intimidation;
2. has a detrimental effect on the physical, social, or emotional health of a student;
3. interferes with a student’s educational performance or ability to participate in educational opportunities;
4. encourages the deliberate exclusion of a student from a school service, activity, or privilege;
5. creates or exacerbates a real or perceived imbalance of power between students;
6. violates the reasonable expectation of privacy of one or more individuals; or
7. relates to the actual or perceived race, ethnicity, color, creed, religion, national origin, immigration status, sex, age, marital status, familial status, socioeconomic status, physical appearance, sexual orientation, gender identity and expression, academic status, disability, or status with regard to public assistance, age, or any additional characteristic defined in chapter 363A of a person or of a person with whom that person associates, but the conduct does not rise to the level of harassment.
another reason...
Total violation of the first amendment. Now, how about we appeal this to the Supreme Court, like the libtards do to every state decision we make?
In a lot of schools, non-participants in “Day of Silence” feel intimidated and not supported, particularly if their causes don’t get the same level of support from the homosexual-intimidated administration. Things have swung so far that ,were this bill evenly applied (I know it won’t be), it would be the homosexuals and their faculty propagandists who would be the defendants.
The love that dare not speak its name now refuses to shut up and is moving on to censorship of criticism from any quarter.
These pukes should move back to Europe where they belong.
Funny how the more the homosexuals push their anti-bullying laws the more I feel like calling them faggots and flamers and think they are pushing for gay lifestyle indoctrination of the youth so they have more fish in the pond to molest. I usually don’t give so much as a second thought to homosexuals but they keep shoving their crap in our face. I predict it’s going to blow up in their faces big time (of course they probably like that sort of thing).
I’m calling a bull market for private schools!
A blatantly unconstitutional law. This should be challenged in court immediately if it passes.
You can run but you can’t hide.
I am sick to death of people caving to 2.5% of a vile population that gets their feeling hurt by everything anyone says.
I am sick to death of the march to teach our children to be wimps.......
enough..........time is now for action.
Just say, HELL NO, no more.
Stand or die.
Try again. MN needs to destroy the 2nd Amendment before the 1st. In the mean time, beat the crap out of fags.
Typical attempt at throwing mud at the Constitution to see what sticks. Lefties will do anything to suppress those that do not agree with them.
Amendment? What amendment?
Dont’ go putting logic and common sense into this debate.....
Maybe my retirement project will be to enroll in University courses just to irritate the establishment.
“another reason...”
You bet it is. Not that one is needed at this point.
Not, of course, any limitation on free speech for social activists, that is sacred. With respect to anyone who disagrees, it doesn't apply. This has gone on way too long and it's time for a little blowback. No, it's time for a lot of blowback.
“student’s ability “to participate in a safe and supportive learning environment.”
so they are going to ban self esteem bs, and teaching of all libtard beliefs. any student who speaks out against this (ie speaks the truth and the science) is ridiculed and therefore is not in a safe and supportive learning environment.
Gay activists are huge bullies.
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