Congratulations, Minnesota. Nearly three years after Anoka High School student Justin Aaberg hanged himself after allegedly being subjected to anti-gay harassment, state Republicans seem to have decided that bullying is no longer a problem. The Pioneer-Press reports Monday that an anti-bullying bill has been withdrawn \u201cafter Republicans said they planned 10 hours of debate on the issue.\u201d<\/p>\n
Using mean, aggressive measures to get your way over a bullying bill? Anyone else feel an Alanis Morissette verse coming on?<\/p>\n
After Aaberg\u2019s death \u2013 just one of many high-profile 2010 LGBT suicides that made bullying a national issue \u2014 Sen. Al Franken made a strong push for tougher, clearer legislation to protect students. \u201cNo student should have to dread going to school because they fear being bullied,\u201d he said. \u201cIt\u2019s clear that we need to do more to ensure schools are a safe environment for all students. Ending this bullying and harassment in schools will be a priority for education reform in the next Congress.\u201d<\/p>\n
Like most states, Minnesota does already have some anti-bullying measures in place, though as MinnPost noted in April, they\u2019re among the weakest \u2014 and most vague \u2014 in the nation. A 2012 statute calls for each school board shall to \u201cadopt a written policy prohibiting intimidation and bullying of any student\u2026 in all forms, including, but not limited to, electronic forms and forms involving Internet use.\u201d The Safe and Supportive Schools Act would have gone further and more explicitly, providing \u201cclear definitions of bullying, harassment, and intimidation; training and resources for students, staff, and volunteers; and forward specific procedures for schools to report bullying incidents.\u201d<\/p>\n