Hidden Danger in Anti-Bullying Proposals

From AACS publication, The Washington Flyer:

National attention has been focused on the topic of bullying. Although bullying is not a new phenomenon, a growing number of teen suicides linked to pervasive harassment have ignited a debate over how to best prevent bullying incidents. The latest incident in April involved the double suicide of Minnesota teens who were harassed by classmates allegedly because of their physical appearance. The grief stricken parents of these students blame school administrators for dismissing their complaints or failing to take action. In response to this growing problem, President Obama held a summit with advocates and bullying experts to address the issue. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan issued several statements acknowledging the harmful effects of bullying on school safety and student academic achievement. In conjunction with the Administration, the Department of Education (DOE) has also issued guidance for school officials, convened a summit and launched a website to help bullying victims. The website addresses several topics and highlights the rising concerns about cyberbullying. Unfortunately, these well meaning efforts to prevent and stop bullying are being hijacked by liberals who want to promote the normalization of homosexuality. On the DOE bullying webpage, controversial advice is given to LGBTQ bullying victims concerning the support and affirmation that they should receive from the community. Furthermore, homosexual activists have used this initiative to promote laws that limit free speech, encroach on parental rights, and extend school’s legal responsibility to the monitoring of student Internet activity. Groups such as the Human Rights Campaign (HRC) and the Gay, Lesbian and Straight Education Network (GLSEN) have coined deceptive terms such as “safe schools” or “welcoming schools” to cloak their efforts to insert their agenda into anti-bullying curriculum. Kevin Jennings, a GLSEN founder, was a strong advocate for this effort during his tenure as DOE Safe and Drug Free Schools Czar. While conservative groups welcome Jennings’ recent resignation, they recognize that the liberal objective to indoctrinate children still exists. Most would agree that bullying is wrong regardless of the intended target or purported reason. Legislation should protect all bullying victims, not single out a particular group for preferential treatment. Recently, the Alliance Defense Fund has formulated a comprehensive bullying policy and submitted it to the United States Commission on Civil Rights (OCR) for review. Government regulation, bullying summits and public service announcements can never fully address the root cause of bullying or formulate workable solutions that will lead to its complete elimination. Ultimately, the responsibility of training children to treat others with respect and react in appropriate ways lies with the parents.