N.C. Bullying Bill Dies Over Gay Controversy | News

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07/19/08-07/21/08

N.C. Bullying Bill Dies Over Gay Controversy

Proposed North Carolina legislation that would protect schoolchildren from antigay bullying has died for this year, The [Raleigh] News & Observer reported Friday.

“The failure of this bill to pass…sends a bad message,” state senator Doug Berger told the Observer. The senate sent the bill back to committee Thursday, and it will not come to a vote during this legislative session, Berger said.

The controversy that prevented the bill from passing surrounded the addition of “sexual orientation” as a reason that a student may face discrimination or bullying, the Observer reported.

Right-wing groups including the Christian Action League and the North Carolina Family Policy Council objected to the added term, saying LGBT activists would use the law as leverage to pass other legislation. (The Advocate)

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Name: Anton
Date posted: 2008-07-18 2:30 PM
Hometown: Asheville, NC

Comment:

I live in Asheville, NC, a very queer friendly city, and it's easy to forget that elsewhere in the state we are still lightyears away from equality. My sister goes to high school in a city a few hours east of Asheville, and she's had to sit through an English class where the teacher routinely codemns muslims, says that all gays are going to burn in hell (even though there are 2 out gay pupils in the class), and has even stated that she wishes Sen. Barack Obama is "shot in the head" if he ever became president. Very discouraging indeed. When my sister complained, she was told by the administration that the teacher was a good woman, and that they shouldn't make issues of her personal opinion... The only glimmer of hope is that even in that type of environment, there at least 2 kids with the courage to be out.

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