At a Thursday press conferences, Sen. Al Franken advocated for stronger anti-bullying laws in schools in the wake of several suicides by LGBT students in Minnesota and around the country who were bullied. Franken wants anti-bullying policies included in the reauthorization of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act, which will be debated early next year. He was joined by Tammy Aaberg, the mother of Justin Aaberg who took his own life in July after what enduring what friends and family say was anti-gay bullying.

“No student should have to dread going to school because they fear being bullied,” Franken said at the press conference. “With the spate of recent suicides in Minnesota as a result of anti-LGBT bullying, it’s 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.”

The Anoka-Hennepin School District just north of Minneapolis saw as many as four suicides by LGBT students in the last year anti-bullying advocates say, and the district has encountered pressure to beef up its bullying rules and eliminate discriminatory policies.

Franken has authored the Student Non-Discrimination Act which would create a federal prohibition against discrimination in public schools against LGBT students or students who are perceived to be LGBT. He’s also supporting the Safe Schools Improvement Act, which includes anti-bullying protections based on race, sex, national origin, religion, sexual orientation and gender identity.

Aaberg told politicians to “please put aside politics and personal beliefs and implement the policies that we know will help our schools be safe and affirming learning environments for all students. Whether they are straight or gay, they all deserve the right to an education…and the right to survive.”

Franken has been a strong advocate of anti-bullying legislation and has spoken out in the Senate about the issues facing LGBT teens. He recorded this video last week as part of the It Gets Better campaign started by sex columnist Dan Savage:

As the Star Tribune reports, Klobuchar was not one of the original 22 cosponsors of the anti-bullying bill but eventually added her name after pressure from the Family Equality Council, a national group that is backing the legislation.

“We’re hopeful Sen. Klobuchar signs onto [the bill] on behalf of the 3,000 kids being raised by same-sex couples in Minnesota and the nation’s one million LGBT [lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender] families raising about two million children,” said FEC spokesman Kevin Nix on Thursday.

Klobuchar added her name later that day.

Franken recounted the case of J.L. v. Mohawk Central School District where a 14-year-old male student was harassed to the point of violence — he was pushed down a flight of stairs and threatened at knife-point because his fellow students thought he was gay. When his parents complained, school officials said, “Boys will be boys.”

“Unfortunately, this case is hardly unique and a similar case came up in my state,” said Franken. He asked Perez, “Do we need an explicit ban against harassment based on sexual orientation and gender identity?”

Perez didn’t answer the question directly, but did say, “Today’s bullies are tomorrows’ civil rights defendants,” citing “horrific” school bullying cases he has prosecuted. “The federal government can make a difference,” he said.

Franken ended his questioning by saying he would work to get federal protections in place. “I would like to work with you on this for specific protections for LGBT kids. It’s a very real thing that there is this bullying in schools.”

Photo: Dierdre Conde, Flickr

Alleged anti-gay harassment at the hands of teachers at a north metro school district cost taxpayers $25,000, the Star Tribune reports. The settlement addresses exactly the kind of hostile school environment an anti-bullying bill vetoed by Gov. Tim Pawlenty was supposed to address.

Two Anoka-Hennepin School District teachers, Diane Cleveland and Walter Filson, were accused of harassing a student they believed to be gay during the 2007-2008 school year, but those allegations were resolved in an out-of-court settlement of $25,000, paid out by the school.

Referencing the scandal involving Sen. Larry Craig, R-Idaho, in a Minneapolis airport bathroom, Cleveland reportedly asked the male student, “Would you like to have [another allegedly gay student] go with you so he can sit in the stall next to you and stomp his foot?”

Filson compared the the student to a Wisconsin man who had sex with a dead deer, according to a Minnesota Department of Human Rights investigation. A classmate quipped, “Hey, Mr. Filson, doesn’t that sound like something [the student perceived to be gay] would do?” The teacher laughed at the comment and agreed, according to the complaint.

Cleveland reportedly told the class the boy had a “thing for older men” after he wrote a paper on Benjamin Franklin, and also told the students his “fence swings both ways.” When the boy reported on Abraham Lincoln, Filson likewise said the boy likes his “men older.” He also allegedly said the student “enjoys wearing women’s clothes.”

In the most recent legislative session, a bipartisan bill, the Safe Schools for All Act, aimed at addressing hostile school environments passed the Minnesota Legislature only to be met with a veto by Gov. Pawlenty who said in his veto message that the bill was “unnecessary.”

Advocates decried the veto. “The Safe Schools for All bill is smart public policy, supported by Democrats and Republicans alike, as well as a diverse coalition of people representing disability, immigrant, education, religious and child welfare concerns,” said Monica Meyer, public policy director for OutFront at the time. “It’s a sad day for Minnesota.”

Photo: Dierdre Conde, Flickr

Gov. Tim Pawlenty’s veto of an anti-bullying bill on Saturday came as a shock to supporters of the measure who said they had negotiated with the governor’s office to meet his concerns about the legislation.

The bill, which would have directed school districts to provide teachers, staff and administration with training on how to address bullying, passed both the House and Senate with large bipartisan margins and had the backing of a broad coalition of community organizations.

The Safe Schools for All coalition said in a press release Tuesday that they had gotten “word from his staff that the final version had met every request and requirement the Governor had made.”

“By rescinding his compromise and vetoing this widely supported bill, the Governor said he cares more about his political reputation than the safety and education of tens of thousands of Minnesota students he purports to represent,” said Stephanie Hazen of the Family Equality Council.

Pawlenty said the bill was unnecessary because Minnesota has already enacted anti-bullying legislation. He said the bill “duplicates current law relating to school board policies prohibiting bullying, intimidation, violence and pattern of harassment in schools.” He pointed out that Minnesota law already prohibits sexual, religious and racial bullying.

Despite Pawlenty’s assertion, the bill was different from existing statutes because it contained 14 student characteristics to be included in anti-bullying training — a point made clear by religious right opposition to the bill that was based solely on their inclusion.

The Minnesota Family Council, in an email to supporters, said that the bill “gives preferential treatment and status to homosexuals, bisexuals, cross dressers, transvestites and transsexuals – persons who have sex change operations – by singling out sexual orientation and gender identity or expression for special protection. Homosexual activists will use it as ‘leverage’ to promote acceptance and normalization of homosexuality, homosexual marriage and unhealthy sexual behaviors.”

It was the inclusion of “sexual orientation and gender identity” that formed the basis of the Family Council’s opposition to the bill, which is not already part of Minnesota statute.

Currently, every school board must develop anti-bullying programs, but schools do not have to include sexual orientation or gender identity as part of the discussion. The bill would have beefed up existing law, not necessarily duplicate it.

The veto came as a disappointment to many. Steve Larson, public policy director for the Arc of Minnesota, an organization that advocates for those with developmental disabilities, said the group was “very disappointed” that Pawlenty vetoed the measure. Students with disabilities were one of the 14 characteristics included in the bill.

“As a result [of the veto] there will not be the specific training on harassment and bullying of individuals with disabilities and we think this will put individuals at increased risk,” he said. “Minnesota has lost an opportunity to improve the school environment for all students. Students with disabilities are susceptible to bullying and harassment, and we were hoping to strengthen all schools’ ability to address these issues.”

Many anti-bullying advocates say they will continue to work with school districts to implement the spirit of the bill. “We will now encourage school districts to implement the intent of the bill on their own,” Larson said. “We hope that something good will come from this despite the fact that the governor vetoed the bill.”

OutFront Minnesota also expressed disappointment. “The Safe Schools for All bill is smart public policy, supported by Democrats and Republicans alike, as well as a diverse coalition of people representing disability, immigrant, education, religious and child welfare concerns,” said Monica Meyer, public policy director for OutFront. “It’s a sad day for Minnesota. Once again, Governor Pawlenty has put his own political interests ahead of the needs of everyday Minnesotans.”

State Capitol (Wikipedia)

The Safe Schools for All bill passed the Minnesota House on Monday and is heading to the desk of Gov. Tim Pawlenty. The bill would add 14 characteristics to existing anti-bullying policies and directs schools to beef up their anti-bullying programs. The bill passed by a vote of 95 to 39. It’s unclear whether Gov. Pawlenty will sign or veto the bill, but if the bill can retain the support of eight members in the House, a veto would likely be over-ridden.

The bill passed but not without intense debate. Rep. Jim Davnie, DFL-Minneapolis, carried the bill this session. “The politics are challenging; the stories from students and families have often been hard to hear,” he said. “What we know is that if you want an effective policy it needs to be clear, and that’s what SF971 will do.”

The main concern from some Republican legislators is that the bill spells out specific groups such as gay and lesbian students, students with disabilities and children from different socioeconomic strata.

Rep. Dean Urdahl, R-Grove City, offered an amendment to strike those categories from the bill. “One group does not rise above another,” he said. The amendment failed on a voice vote.

Davnie argued for the importance of the categories. “[Students] need and deserve to see themselves reflected in school policies. The child hears, ‘if somebody is bothering me, the adults in the school will help me,’” he said.

Rep. Rob Eastlund, R-Isanti, said, “there’s a politically motivated effort because passing legislation feels good. We don’t need to list out a long list of special interest groups.”

Rep. John Ward, DFL-Brainerd, gave a passionate speech about being bullied in school because of his disability.

“People that get bullied are often the people who look or act different. I remember being on the playground and continually being teased or picked on because of how I looked,” said Ward. “All children deserve to be treated fairly and equitably and with respect. When you talk about special groups being named… Anything we can do to move in that direction is progress.”

Photo: Dierdre Conde, Flickr

Advocates and people with disabilities say a bill to strengthen anti-bullying programs in Minnesota’s schools is vital to promoting the safety of disabled students. The bill, HF 1198, is likely to end up on Gov. Tim Pawlenty’s desk, but supporters anticipate a veto.

The bill has been the subject of criticism by Republicans and the religious right because it contains protections for gender identity and sexual orientation, although the comprehensive bill contains 14 specific provisions to protect students, including those with disabilities.

Also called the Safe Schools for All Act, the bill directs schools to create policies that prohibit “harassment, bullying, intimidation, and violence based on characteristics such as actual or perceived race, color, creed, religion, national origin, sex, marital status, disability, socioeconomic status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, age, physical characteristics, or association with a person or group with one or more of these actual or perceived characteristics.”

Some of Minnesota’s largest disability organizations have signed on in support of the act, including the Arc of Minnesota; Independent Lifestyles, Inc., of St. Cloud; the Metropolitan Center for Independent Living; and the Minnesota chapter of the National Alliance on Mental Illness.

“The Arc of Minnesota strongly supports the Safe Schools for All bill because students with disabilities are victims of bullying and harassment,” said Steve Larson, public policy director for the Arc of Minnesota, a group that advocates for those with developmental disabilities.

However, the inclusion of sexual orientation and gender identity is a sticking point for Republicans and the religious right. The Minnesota Family Council is leading opposition to the bill.

“We believe the current state law requiring school districts to develop and enforce policies dealing with bullying is sufficient,” said Chuck Darrell, communications director for the Minnesota Family Council. “Supporters of the bill argue that adding ‘gender identity’, ‘sexual orientation’ and ‘harrassment’ to the state law will provide homosexual activists ‘leverage’ with school districts to institute curriculum which promotes acceptance of homosexual marriage and unhealthy sexual behavior.”

Asked whether the Family Council would approve of a bill that was specifically targeted to addressing bullying against disabled students, he said, “We can stop bullying of all students without promoting homosexual marriage and unhealthy homosexual behavior.”

Research is scarce about bullying targeted at students with disabilities or special needs, but the few studies that have been done show a disturbing trend. One study in the British Journal of Learning Support found much higher rates of bullying in children with special needs. Sixty percent of students with special needs or disabilities reported being bullied compared to 25 percent of the general student population.

While opponents argue that bullying programs should not “single out” certain groups of students, Larson says the research is clear that such policies are effective.

“Studies have been done that indicate that bullying and harassment decrease at a higher rate if specific categories of various populations are identified in policies,” he said.

A report commissioned by the Gay, Lesbian and Straight Education Network found that schools that implement policies that name categories of students have a larger decrease in serious bullying incidents.

“[S]tudents whose schools had a comprehensive policy with enumerated categories that included sexual orientation and gender identity/expression were less likely (33 percent) to report a serious harassment problem at their school than those who did not have such a policy (44 percent),” the report says.

George Byron “Geordie” Griffiths, a photographer who has worked with students with disabilities for 15 years, praised the bill in an editorial last week.

“I don’t have any illusion that simply passing the Safe Schools for All will magically stop bullying in Minnesota classrooms. But the proposal sets a standard and requires training so teachers learn how to effectively intervene,” wrote Griffiths. “And by specifically listing disability, along with other attributes such as sex, race, religion, sexual orientation, and physical characteristics, the proposal makes plain that, when it comes to bullying, absolutely no exceptions should ever be tolerated.”

Photo: Dierdre Conde, Flickr

A bill to strengthen anti-bullying laws passed the Senate Education Committee on Tuesday, but not before anti-gay groups testified against it because a provision in the bill would have schools address bullying based on sexual orientation, in addition to 14 other characteristics.

“We believe it will result in the indoctrination and intimidation of teachers and students who object to homosexuality who believe it is not healthy and should not be promoted,” said Tom Prichard of the Minnesota Family Council. “I think we need to realize that sexual orientation encompasses homosexuals, bisexuals, among other things cross dressing, transvestites, people that have sex change operations and all sorts of categories, so we need to realize what we are giving specific recognition to.”

Despite that testimony, the bill cleared the panel. Teenagers from around the state testified about bullying in their schools on the basis of ethnicity, body type, socioeconomic status and many other factors. Perhaps no one’s testimony was more powerful than that of Andy Berlin, a senior at the Perpich Center for Arts Education.

“To me this bill is not political. It is personal. Schools need to be a place where all students feel safe,” said Berlin, who testified that he was tormented by students at a western metro middle school. “When I was in sixth grade students began to tease and bully me, calling me homophobic names. I began to skip school at least one day a week. … My grades were deeply affected. Instead of focusing on my school work, I focused on just getting through the day.”

Berlin said he talked to the assistant principal at the school. “He implied I’d made the choice to be a homosexual.” The harassment and lack of support from some school staff took its toll. “By the time I was 13, I was hospitalized due to the trauma I experienced.”

Now that he is at a school that has anti-bullying policies similar to the ones outlined in the bill, he said his grades have improved and he feels safe.

State Sen. Scott Dibble, author of the bill and a gay man, said that including sexual orientation is vital.

“It is really important for the committee to appreciate the kind of devastating impact and the potential harm that causes to kids who are members of marginalized groups for whatever reason,” the Minneapolis Democrat said. “It can’t be given short shrift or dismissed under the guise that we are all humans and we all get bullied.

“The data is clear that some kids — I’m most familiar with gay kids — by a factor of 40-plus percent, these kids consider suicide because of the treatment they are given by their peers,” he said.

“We absolutely need to name specifically what we are talking about. To do less is to not serve our kids.”