Michigan says bullying for religious reasons ok

[Genersis]

Essentially, what this Bill does is allow people to express their religious view concerning homosexuality while on school property without it being considered bullying. A christian can walk up to a gay kid and tell him that his supposed lifestyle is evil, an abomination, against gods will, etc. In turn, the gay kid can walk up to a christian kid and tell him that he's a dufus for worshiping a god that is a genocidal, mass murdering, baby killer who also promotes slavery, and allows men to own multiple wives. They want to insure free speech is not abridged, not sure why they wanted to specifically protect the free speech of people with religious views,,, but free speech works both ways & LGBT people can utilize their free speech just as easily as christians. So, throw it right back in their faces if the christians start calling you an abomination or evil.


Here are the pertinent clips from Michigan's SB-0137

http://www.legislature.mi.gov/documents/...S-0137.htm

(8) This section does not abridge the rights under the First
Amendment of the constitution of the United States or under article
I of the state constitution of 1963 of a school employee, school
Volunteer, pupil, or a pupil's parent or guardian. 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's parent or guardian.


(b) "Bullying" means any written, verbal, or physical act, or
Any electronic communication, by a pupil directed at 1 or more
Other pupils that is intended or that a reasonable person would
Know is likely to harm 1 or more pupils either directly or
Indirectly

Actually it doesn't really protect free speech. As won't the person getting bullied by the religious person, in turn, get done for bullying if they try and counter them by bad mouth the religious persons religion?
Or am i reading this wrong.:redface:

[jimcrackcorn]

Actually it doesn't really protect free speech. As won't the person getting bullied by the religious person, in turn, get done for bullying if they try and counter them by bad mouth the religious persons religion?
Or am i reading this wrong.:redface:

The 1st Amendment to the US Constitution guarantees us "Free Speech". Bullying laws try to prevent a persons "Free Speech" from purposely harming others while at school.

There is a fine line between bullying someone verbally, and still protecting an individuals right to Free Speech. In the situation where a christian uses the bible to verbally denigrate gays and lesbians by saying their lifestyle is an abomination & evil , we cannot prevent them from verbally speaking what they sincerely believe. On the other hand, a LGBT person can also verbally denigrate a christian using the same bible if they sincerely believe that the christian god is a genocidal, mass murdering, baby killer (Noah's Ark is an example I use). Both sides can use bible scripture to denigrate each other.

Here's an example where the "fine Line" gets crossed. A christian cannot call you vulgar names like F A G and taunting you while on school property. That would constitute bullying because it would be done maliciously with the sole purpose of causing you emotional harm. LGBT kids cannot call christian kids vulgar names like Nasty Christian Trash who are the scum of the earth, as it would be malicious with the sole purpose of causing emotional harm.

Christian kids have a right to express their religious views concerning homosexuality so long as those views are not expressed in a malicious manner that would cause emotional harm to others.

I hope this helps to make a little sense out of this bullying law for the Michigan public schools.

[OrphanPip]

High schools are a complicated position though, as the children who attend them are forced by law to be educated, and presumably their parents do not have the resources to educate them at home or in private institutions. Thus, the child is placed in a position where he may be forced into having to endure certain acts of speech, which complicates the status of free speech, as in most cases we understand that someone being subjected to speech they find reprehensible has the ability to walk away, which is not available to a victim of bullying.

Whether this law would, as it is written, protect bullies if they use religious rhetoric is up to the jurisprudence of the state judges. Jim's take on the law seems to be that it is merely protecting opinion which may be seen as offensive, but that such opinions do not by necessity constitute bullying. I can see how this is a reasonable way to read it, but we have the problem of the captive audience. Can students be forced into listening to offensive speech of their peers, just because that speech would otherwise be protected in society at large? Especially if that speech is merely being used as a front for deliberately malicious behaviour.

[Genersis]

The 1st Amendment to the US Constitution guarantees us "Free Speech". Bullying laws try to prevent a persons "Free Speech" from purposely harming others while at school.

There is a fine line between bullying someone verbally, and still protecting an individuals right to Free Speech. In the situation where a christian uses the bible to verbally denigrate gays and lesbians by saying their lifestyle is an abomination & evil , we cannot prevent them from verbally speaking what they sincerely believe. On the other hand, a LGBT person can also verbally denigrate a christian using the same bible if they sincerely believe that the christian god is a genocidal, mass murdering, baby killer (Noah's Ark is an example I use). Both sides can use bible scripture to denigrate each other.

Here's an example where the "fine Line" gets crossed. A christian cannot call you vulgar names like F A G and taunting you while on school property. That would constitute bullying because it would be done maliciously with the sole purpose of causing you emotional harm. LGBT kids cannot call christian kids vulgar names like Nasty Christian Trash who are the scum of the earth, as it would be malicious with the sole purpose of causing emotional harm.

Christian kids have a right to express their religious views concerning homosexuality so long as those views are not expressed in a malicious manner that would cause emotional harm to others.

I hope this helps to make a little sense out of this bullying law for the Michigan public schools.

Thanks for the reply.
I understand this more now then i did when i first posted.
And i agree, freedom is speech is a good thing, and this law allows these people with more controversial religious/moral views to voice them without fear of being labelled a bully.

I can just see this law being abused. As the difference between a verbal attack and a voicing of a controversial opinion may be overlooked.
Especially if the person responsible for the differentiation has a religious bias or even an anti-religious one.
But then i have always been kinda cynical.:redface: