Michigan Passes “License to Bully”

Yep.  You read that right.  Michigan just passed a piece of legislation that states that it is OK to bully so long as there are moral convictions behind that bullying.  They are calling it the “License to Bully” legislation. What kind of name is that for legislation? License to bully? That’s ridiculous. More specifically it says:

This section does not prohibit a statement of a sincerely held religious belief or moral conviction of a school employee, school volunteer, pupil, or a pupil and parent or guardian.

That makes me absolutely sick.  What is wrong with Michigan?  This Republican controlled state has literally taken one giant step backwards when it comes to putting an end to bullying.  Children are DYING as a result of bullying and rather than put legislation out there to protect our children, they do the exact opposite and basically say it’s OK given the right circumstances.  That’s disgusting.  Bullying is wrong no matter what the circumstances.  Gretchen Whitmer (D-East Lansing) slammed the Republican’s with the following speech:

Here today you claim to be protecting kids and you’re actually putting them in more danger,” Whitmer said. “But bullying is not OK. We should be protecting public policy that protects kids — all kids, from bullies — all bullies. But instead you have set us back further by creating a blueprint for bullying.  You may be able to pat yourselves on the back today and say that you did something, but in actuality you are explicitly outlining how to get away with bullying,” she said. “Your exceptions have swallowed the rule. As passed today, bullying kids is OK if a student, parent, teacher or school employee can come up with a moral or religious reason for doing it.

But what makes this even worse, this bill is called Matt’s Safe School Law.  Matt Epling, the person this bill is named for, committed suicide in 2002 after being bullied.  What kind of sick game is our senate trying to play here?  This bill now moves on to the Republican controlled House.

What happened to everyone is created equally?  How in the world does that hold true when now it is being said that it is OK to bully so long as you have a religious reason for doing so?  I can tell you right now…no one in our schools are safe now.  Absolutely no one.

Way to go Michigan.