FRANKFORT, Ky. — A bill that would have expanded Kentucky’s anti-bullying laws by linking harassment to sexual orientation, race and other characteristics, died in the House Education Committee on Tuesday after facing opposition from Republican lawmakers.
House Bill 336, sponsored by state Rep. Mary Lou Marzian (D-Louisville), would have required schools to implement a code of conduct that bans bullying and harassment motivated by a student’s race, religion, sexual orientation, gender identity or learning disabilities, reported the Louisville Courier-Journal.
The measure fell two votes short of having the required 15 votes needed to clear the committee — all Republicans voted against the bill, except two who abstained.
Critics argued that the state’s existing anti-bulling law, passed in 2008, provides sufficient safeguards. But Marzian, who pledged to keep the issue alive this session, said language to identify students by group would strengthen protections.
“I’m astounded at the lack of compassion among Republicans who claim to care about people, but obviously they don’t,” Marzian said after the meeting. “It’s typical of their all talk and no action.”
“If this bill does not get on to the House, if it does not get through the Senate, my daughter’s death will be in vain,” said Travis Campbell of Hopkinsville, whose 14-year-old daughter fatally shot herself on Feb. 4 after classmates taunted her for being bisexual.
Campbell, who still carries the bullet in his pocket, said teachers “couldn’t or wouldn’t” protect his daughter.
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idiots. :(
of course
Fools >:(
smh…then the number of assault charges is gonna double…cus peeps gonna get sick of bein fucked with and they gonna beat the hell outta someone
dumb.
This makes how many southern states going to hell now? -_-
Ew. :/
wtf thats dumb -_-
Another state I’m never visiting.
Not that we were planning to vacation there, but I will make a point of avoiding Kentucky.
i would ask for clarification on this bill…cus i see a loop-hole to get out of hate crime charges…some big redneck, not me, could beat up some black guy or hispanic and say “im not racist, THEY ARE GAY”… >.<
Shock. I have to drive through it on I65 but willl not even get gas there.
what a load of bigots
Just cause Im different, I deserved to be made fun of and abused?!?! I think not! THATS BULLSHIT!! LGBTQP <3
&-{/}
Fucking morons.
This is so heterosexual -.-
Stupid ass rednecks in that state. I will avoid it at all cost.
I hate living here.
to all my Ky. Bros and sisters. Keep strong and be proud of who you are. We are strong together and we need to keep the faith that LOVE IS LOVE!!
and shutting out a whole community of people isn’t bullying?
I find it extremely sad that any state in this country can condone prejudice or hatred by its laws. I pray for the day of equality and will continue to fight for it with my last breath.
I mean seriously just because Im a pansexual transsexual I deserve to be spit on, kicked, punched, and verbally abused on a daily basis cause the government is ignorant, rude, unaccepting, and homophobic? Id love to see them suffer the way we do!
I’m so sorry, Kentucky kids and others—your liberation and the full protection of your rights will happen eventually, I promise they will.
@Jordan I’m sorry you have to go through that, but good for you. All everyone ever does is complain that there’s no peace yet they refuse to accept people’s differences. It’s sickening. Sexual orientation/gender identity doesn’t change you as a person. If anything it makes you stronger and more positive with all the shit you have to go through everyday.
Craziness
Inbreed, what do you expect? Redneck idiots!
This is one of the reasons why I don’t live in Kentucky.
I love Kentucky. I hate this with a passion. How sad.
this is the exact reason y i moved out of ky!!!
I’m not surprised; backwards assholes.
BTW, I’ve been a resident of Kentucky for 20+ years, and no, we are not all braindead rednecks. Just some of the law makers, and many residents. But there are just as many of us who are either LGBT or LGBT allies; the conservatives just drown us out.
Shocker
They were afraid that protecting students based on sexual orientation would interfere with the so-called Christian students right to “disagree with homosexuality.” They were so absorbed with their majority “First Amendment Rights” (which, since when does freedom of religion allow you to be a bigot? I thought freedom of religion meant you were allowed the freedom to practise whatever religion you chose without harassment — not the freedom to shove it down the throats of others, nor a safeguard allowing you to be violent toward another in the name of that religion.) It’s so foolish, so Kentuckiana lawmakers, so Republican, that they ignored that the language of the bill included protecting a student from being bullied because of their religion, and their little religious bullies they killed this bill to protect, still could have argued their “persecution”, despite it. It’s not creating a protected class — it would’ve held everyone evenly responsible. It would have covered so many things people are really bullied over everyday here. …But gods forbid we protect the truly persecuted by potentially stepping on the “rights” the moral majority feel entitled to. Gods forbid we take off the blinders and see the reality of middle and high school life. >.< Especially in the South, but as a country on the whole. You would think an epidemic would spark a change — I mean, mass suicides in Chinese plants got better working conditions. Here? We’re denying and arguing the issue and not working to solve the cause. It’s really, sincerely, tragic.
Fuckin stupid.
boo!
Shocking.
HMMM! Because apparently it’s ok to bully others if you’re dissing their sex life. At no other time, and for no other reason, but apparenly there is nothing sacred about sex. Let’s not worry about kids bullying each other, after all they’re only “copying” adult behavior. I wonder if any portion of this bill actually holds the parents responsible for the bullying their juvenile brats do??
Yeah because the hundreds of kids killing themselves don’t require protections…fuck you Kentucky
omg are u f*kin serious…. WOW!!!!
Bullying is bullying; it shouldn’t matter why or whatever, it should ALL be criminal!
Oklahoma doesn’t even recognize sexual orientation on the hate crime bill.
WTF??
sad… they won’t cover a majority of cases, I say!
Might as well live in Irag where they kill gay kids by stoning…
Dats fuckin sad
WTF is right!! I like how the ‘gay pride nobullies’ person says that we are ‘stupid ass rednecks’. What part of ‘nobullies’ is that? There are still homos here…we didn’t choose it!!!! But thanks for the bigotry in our own community.
I live here in Louisiana and they did the same thing KY did.
Because gays don’t matter…so, that’s ok if we’re bullied.