2005-03-04 - 9:12 a.m.
It's all about the queer youth folks.
In my attempt to get #1 on my 101 list done I am posting an action alert for my readers. If you live in Montana, please writeor call your state legislator. PLEAAAAASE!!!!!
MONTANA ALERT: Ask House Education Committee
to put an End to Bullying and Harassment
On January 10, 2005, Senator Sam Kitzenberg (R-Glasgow) introduced a bill to address bullying and harassment in Montana’s public schools. Senate Bill 198 (SB 198) would require every school district to adopt and implement a bullying policy that applies to all students. Importantly, the bill also enumerates specific categories of students that the bill would cover and to which anti-bullying and anti-harassment polices must apply. The bill specifically protects those who are bullied or harassed based on their actual or perceived sexual orientation or gender.
If adopted by the Montana legislature and signed into law by Governor Schweitzer, this bill would provide students throughout the state with the types of protections they need to ensure their safety and access to a quality education.
The Senate has passed this bill and transferred it to the House. On Monday, March 7th, the House Education Committee will hold a hearing on this legislation, so we need to move quickly! GLSEN urges you to forward the following letter immediately to the members of the House Education Committee reaffirming the importance of this issue and asking them to support this legislation. In addition to sending this letter, we encourage you to call the Montana House at (404) 444-4800 and express your opinion.
Dear Members of the House Education Committee,
I would like to thank you for your consideration of Senate Bill (SB) 198 and to express my full support for its passage by the House Committee on Education and the full House.
As a Montana resident, I believe that this bill will go a long way to reduce instances of bullying and harassment throughout Montana's schools and ensure that each student will have access to a quality education.
As you know, bullying and harassment are major problems in Montana and throughout the nation. Surveys of students demonstrate the impact of bullying and harassment. These surveys have shown that nearly two-thirds of students experience some type of bullying and harassment during their academic careers, and more than 80 percent of all students have observed bullying and harassment. As a result, many students miss school and fall behind academically.
Other surveys document the broad-based support that safe school laws have. Overwhelming numbers of parents support anti-bullying and anti-harassment legislation, regardless of their party affiliation, race, or religion. If we are to ensure that all students have access to a quality education we must protect them from bullying and harassment in the way that this bill does. As a former teacher, Representative Kitzenberg clearly understands this issue and I am pleased that he has taken this step to bring about change for all of our youth.
Currently, only eight states have anti-bullying and anti-harassment laws similar to the one under consideration. Adoption of this bill will say to all students and their parents that Montana is at the forefront of ensuring that public school students have access to a safe and secure education. Therefore, I applaud your willingness to consider this bill and urge your colleagues to fully support this bill as it moves through the Montana legislature.
