The state Department of Education will consider the 75-page student conduct and disciplinary policy on Dec. 14, and if approved, the changes that acknowledge the targeting of LGBT students would go into effect July 1, 2012.

The draft policy lists 12 possible reasons a child could be bullied. They include race, color, religion, gender, ancestry, national origin, socioeconomic status, academic status, physical appearance, mental, physical or developmental disability, gender identity or expression, and sexual orientation.

Under the proposal, bullying for the specified reasons or any "other characteristic" would be a Level 3 disciplinary offense. Punishments range from as little as before- or after-school detention or a one-day removal from the classroom to weekend detention or suspension for up to 10 days.

The policy also extends beyond school property to the virtual world, holding students accountable for "vulgar or offensive speech" online if it disrupts the learning atmosphere at school.

"This includes blogs and social media postings created for the purpose of inviting others to indulge in disruptive and hateful conduct towards a student or staff member," the policy says.

Associated Press, via ABC News

The civil rights group Fairness West Virginia praised the new language as "a landmark achievement," and said the policy effectively provides political and legal cover to teachers and others who might hesitate to help a student.

But the West Virginia Family Foundation said the proposal is a "well thought-out, well-crafted design, done for no other reason than to promote the homosexual agenda."

"They're trying to force a lifestyle that a majority of the people of West Virginia do not want their kids exposed to. It undermines their values and their religious teaching," President Kevin McCoy said Monday.

Last week, the Michigan state Senate passed an anti-bullying bill that contained an exception to the law for “a sincerely held religious belief or moral conviction."

The Charleston Gazette-Mail reports:

During the legislative session that ended earlier this month, committees in both the House and Senate never took up bills (SB226, HB2045) to add sexual orientation to the state’s civil-rights laws, which now include characteristics such as race, religion and disability.

Acting Senate president and gubernatorial candidate Jeff Kessler sponsored this year’s legislation, but said he did not push the bill in the Senate because the House had indicated that it would not pass it.

“It sort of baffles me that they’re not willing to take it up,” the Marshall County Democrat said, noting that the House is more liberal than the Senate on some issues, such as organized labor.

The State Senate passed the bills in both 2008 and 2009, in fact the 2008 vote was unanimous.

But despite a Democrat controlled House, the 2nd body has yet give the bills any favor. Reports are indicating that even though most of the Democrats in the house are in favor of the bills, they’re still worried about a political backlash.

I wonder if anyone has told them that the majority of the country is now supporting full marriage equality, and only backward states like West Virginia and Utah are still squabbling over these smaller civil protections.

The gamer, Josh Moore from Fort Gay, WV, found his account suspended and then received a threat of cancellation without refund after entering Fort Gay in his profile.

Apparently 'Gay' is a bad word, and Microsoft determined Moore was in breach of Xbox Live's rules.

Moore called Microsoft and told them to check ZIP code 25514 to verify that Fort Gay was a real town, but Microsoft said "no."

Even the mayor of Fort Gay, David Thompson, attempted to get involved but was told that the word 'gay' was inappropriate in any context.

"It was so inappropriate for them, they wouldn't even say the word," Thompson told the Associated Press. "They said, 'that word.' It's beyond me. That's the name of our town! It's appalling. It's a slap in our face."

Stephen Toulouse, director of policy and enforcement for Xbox Live blamed miscommunication, and said he would contact Moore and apologize.

Delegate Barbara Fleischauer (D), said there is already a law in West Virgina that permits marriage only between a man and a woman, so there is no need to discuss an amendment to ban gay marriage.

“A number of states throughout the country have recognized homosexual marriage and we think we need a safeguard to keep that from happening here and we think the people of West Virginia want that safeguard, so there’s a frustration out there, and we think it should be brought to the House and debated,” said Minority Leader Tim Armstead (R).

The republican minority is hoping to force a debate on the issue by requesting that the amendment be removed from the committee and taken directly to the house floor.

The bill's supporters say the constitutional ban is necessary to prevent the state Supreme Court from overturning the law in the future.