Move to pass anti-bullying legislation fails in Mich. Senate

LANSING — In a move to circumvent the Michigan Senate’s Committee on Education, Sen. Glenn Anderson on Wednesday forced a vote on his version of a controversial bill that would “compel” local school districts to develop plans to address and prevent bullying situations.

“It is imperative that we compel public schools to protect students from bullying in the academic environment by adopting a policy to deal with this destructive behavior,” said Anderson, a Democrat from Westland, in a floor speech.

The amendment lost on a vote of 21 to 16.

Noting his bill, S.B. 159, had languished in the committee chaired by Republican Sen. Wayne Kuipers of Holland without a hearing, Anderson offered the entire bill as an amendment to legislation offered by Sen. Nancy Cassis, a Republican from Novi. Cassis’ legislation would create intervention programs for students kindergarten through third grade who are struggling academically. The Cassis bill would amend the Michigan Public School code, as would Anderson’s.

Anderson’s legislation would mandate local school districts create a policy which specifically prohibited bullying on the basis of many factors. Conservative leaders across the state have opposed anti-bullying legislation for years because it includes language to protest students on the basis or real or perceived sexual orientation and gender identity and/or expression.

The list of protected classes, or enumeration, lead to a very public split earlier this year between the state’s two largest gay rights organizations. Michigan Equality of Lansing said it would only support enumerated legislation, while Triangle Foundation of Detroit said it would support a compromise bill nearly passed last year by the Senate. That bill did not include enumerated categories.

Senate Republicans took a different tact in the floor debate Wednesday. They argued the bill could result in numerous lawsuits against public schools across Michigan.

“[The bill] is written in such a way as to guaruntee lawsuits against employees or the school,” said Sen. Alan Cropsey, a Republican from DeWitt. “This will turn every incident of bullying into a lawsuit, and cost the schools hundreds of millions.”

Observers and activists watching the legislation say Cropsey was responsible for killing the last minute compromise anti-bullying bill in the lame duck session in December.