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Bullying bill clears House committee

Tuesday, June 16, 2009

(Updated 3:32 pm)

By Mark Binker
Staff Writer

The House Judiciary I Committee voted 9-5 in favor of a bill that would require school districts to adopt polices that discourage bullying.

Sponsored by Sen. Julia Boseman, a Wilmington Democrat, the measure has already cleared the Senate and next heads to the House floor.

Under the bill, school districts would have to adopt policies that ban bullying of students based on certain racial, ethnic or other personal identifications. Among those characteristics is sexual or gender identification.

Social conservatives oppose the bill because they see it as creating special protections for gay people and others that could end up being applied to other facets of North Carolina law.

“This bill doesn’t seem to carry any real consequences,” said Rep. John Blust, a Greensboro Republican.

Boseman said that it would be up to each school district to determine what consequences followed.

Rep. Skip Stam, an Apex Republican, argued that the state should simply pass a law that says all types of bullying are unwelcome.

But Boseman and Rep. Angela Bryant, a Rocky Mount Democrat, argued that enumerated policies work best.

“They do increase the probability that adults will work together to do what needs to be done,” Bryant said.

The measure passed 9-5. Blust voted against; Rep. Pricey Harrison of Greensboro, who is also a member of the committee, voted for the bill.

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File photo (News & Record)

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Loafy617

June 16, 2009 - 11:46 am EDT

I am glad the system is doing something about bullying,My son of 12 years old has been bullied so much this year he has to go to theropy and mental health.He has been injuried numerous of times,I am scared for my 2 sons my 9 year old had to be taken to the ER due to the fact of getting bullied by a student my son suffered a Nasal Contusion and got kicked in the private area.He had to be carried off the bus by 4 other students due to him bleeding from his nose.I tell school and the email school board nothing has been done at all.I am just afraid that my kids are going to get seriously hurt one day and I just want this to stop the school can do something about it but the school they attend doesnt wanna do anything about the bullying until its to late.I have been to court a couple times for this cause I got tired of it and I started pressing charges on these kids hitting and abusing my kids on bus and at school.THIS HAS GOT TO STOP !!!!BULLYING IS A BIG ISSUE .MY KIDS AND THE OTHER KIDS DESERVE JUSTICE

DaveW

June 16, 2009 - 1:20 pm EDT

I am sympathetic to your situation and I am also a high school teacher. When I can get kids to report bullying at my school I do what can be done to stop it but kids often fear more bullying when they repot it. What school does your child attend?

Loafy617

June 17, 2009 - 8:10 am EDT

The Elementary School they attend is Hopewell Elementary School in Trinity.I just fear when my 12 year old attends his new school at Braxton this bullying will calm down but I seriously doubt it.The Elementary school says they had a monitor on the bus in the evening but I think having a 11 year old "that is one of the bullies" being the bus monitor IS WRONG!!.My son got kicked off the bus for 2 weeks just for protecting his self and comes to find out the little boy had lied to the assistant princapal and bus driver about my son.My 12 year old was protecting his self from one of the other bullies and when I went to the school to confront this matter I was told I was a BAD MOTHER!!! this really ticked me off.I am in the process of hiring a lawyer to take this school to court for NEGLECT.
I am just sick of it My son has Problems such as ADHD,Depression from the bullying,his Low self esteem is so far down in the ground he went from loving school to hating it.He use to make good grades but now straight F's,I am sorry but as a mother I want my kids safe and and I want them to have a good education.But it is hard when my son is getting called RETARD,RatBoy cause he shaves his head,He is terrified of school now and it bothers me and I have to do something about it!!! If I dont I am afraid that he is going to get seriously hurt. I did call School board and they never called back I call once to twicw a day monday-friday and they say if he takes all these calls he isnt getting his job done.So I emailed him and he hasnt replied yet still waiting.So I hope and pray that this will come to a end cause honestly I need justice to be served for all these bullys.I am sick and tired of it cause it is just crazy.My son has to go to theropy once a week and to mental health once a month.It is costing me.I forgot to mention when my son was protecting his self he got taken to court and got 6 months probation and 24 hours community service,AS when I take them to court for assault they get a slap on the hand and say dont do this again,YOU TELL ME WHATS WRONG WITH THIS YOU GET PUNISHED NOW FOR PROTECTING YOURSELF WHAT HAS THIS WORLD COME TO!!!!

Panacea

June 16, 2009 - 1:36 pm EDT

I sympathize as well. I went through exactly this same sort of thing--extreme physical violence and all. The school ignored it. It didn't stop until I entered high school, where I was fortunate enough to have a principal willing to put a stop to this sort of behavior.

The bill should apply to all forms of bullying. It is never acceptable no matter the reason.