Tell Michigan: Protect Children from Bullying!
The Michigan Senate Republicans have actually passed a bill that encourages bullying! Suicide remains among the leading causes of death for children under age 14 and huge portion of those suicides stem from bullying.
The bill essentially gives students the right to bully anyone they choose if they can provide "religious or moral reasons" for their actions.To add insult to injury, the bill is named after Matt Epling, a child who actually committed suicide due to anti-gay bullying. The bill is titled "Matt's Safe School Law" but does nothing at all to keep students in schools safe! Luckily, Michigan's House of Representatives has passed its own version of the anti-bullying bill, but changes still need to be made in the Senate.
The idea to name a bill that allows students to justify bullying after child who took his own life because of bullying is sick and demeaning. For the sake of those afflicted by bullies everywhere, urge Michigan's Senate to pass an anti-bullying bill that actually works!
Dear Congress Member,
Bullying continues to have detrimental effects on America's youth and the consequences keep getting worse and worse. Over 70% of students say that bullying is an ongoing problem. It is not an issue that should be taken lightly.
Senate Bill 0137, improperly titled 'Matt's Safe School Law', completely disrespects every child that has ever been affected by a bully. The bill is named after Matt Epling, a child who committed suicide because of anti-gay bullying, but the actual language of the bill essentially allows bullies to justify their actions if they can provide "religious or moral reasons."
(Your Comments Here)
It makes no sense to give a student that kind of power, especially in the name of a child who took his own life because of bullying; not to mention the irony is sickening. There should be a no-tolerance policy when it comes to bullying. I urge you to instead pass the House's anti-bullying bill, which maintains this stance.
