License to Bully? Michigan's "it's ok to bully" law

Oh dear God, really?

Under the guise of anti-bullying legislation, the Michigan State Senate passed a "license to bully" bill yesterday, which basically offers legal protection for bullying. Period.

SB 137 (as originally introduced), previously known as the Matt's Safe Schools Law, was named for Matt Epling, who committed suicide after being assaulted as a "welcome to high school", now has this clause in it:

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.

This basically tells us that it's ok to bully, as long as you believe you're morally superior, oh, and you're religious. Um, excuse me?

Now, I'm not in school any longer, and I live in California, so why should I care? Aside from the obvious, of course?

Well, uh, Michigan? My son just applied to Michigan State University, in East Lansing, the city in which Matt Epling went to school. Choosing a college is an exciting time for us. My son was excited, very interested, and it wouldn't surprise me if MSU was the top school on his list after speaking to the recruiter who appeared at our high school's college night. Yes, he was that good.

We have been pretty encouraging. Seems the recruiter did a great job on us, too.

However, I'm not really sure that I want to pay my OUT OF STATE tuition costs to you now. That's approximately $160,000 that you might not get from me. All because you are telling people it's ok to bully. As long as you are religious (which I take to mean Christian, and please do correct me if I'm wrong. *crickets*). Michigan is hurting economically, maybe even moreso than much of the country, and I know you could use my out of state dollars. But I need to think on this.

What if some jerk decides his religion is better than my Jewish son's, and bullies him out of a 'sincerely held religious belief' that Jews suck and he's 'morally' superior? Do I really want to hear that that's ok?

Umm, I'm thinking... no.

Senate Democratic Leader Gretchen Whitmer, who incidentally represents East Lansing, had this to say on the bill's passage:


Matt Epling's father, Kevin, issued this statement:

"I am ashamed that this could be Michigan's bill on anti-bullying when in fact it is a 'bullying is OK in Michigan' law."

The Michigan Education Association released a statement as well, which in part states:

As passed, the bill provides no real protection against bullying. It allows bullying comments which stem from religious beliefs; it lists no protections for homosexual or disabled students; and it excludes cyber-bullying.

So why even vote on it and pass it? Because it sure doesn't protect children from bullying. All the items noted by the MEA are the basis of school bullying. These are the reasons why and avenues in which kids get bullied. So it seems the citizens of Michigan owe a great big Thanks for Nothing to the Michigan State Senate.

Michigan Senate Democrats issued this press release blasting the bill, which was voted on completely along party lines - which means yes, every single Republican voted that it is ok to bully as long as you really believe in it.

Michigan Republicans, looks like you've spent far too many hours listening to this idiot.