Because the anti-bullying law passed by the N.C. House of Representatives includes protection for those targeted due to suspected or actual homosexual leanings, the Charlotte Observer's headline "N.C. House votes to protect gay kids" suggests the heavily debated bill is only about sexual orientation -- it's not.
In a world where kids can't get away from the playground, thanks to technology, and take bullying so seriously that even 11-year-olds -- that's right, more than one -- are willing to kill themselves to avoid it, isn't it society's duty to protect them from their harassers?
Headlines like this are just one more slap in the face to already kowtowed children. No child should be abused, in any way, at school -- not because of their religion, race, sex, physical appearance, disabilities, sexual orientation (real or perceived), or for any other reason. Period.
How do debates like this get started? House Republicans are up in arms because they believe protecting children from homophobia in primary school is a gateway drug to gay marriage ... or, worse, widespread acceptance that homosexuals deserve the same rights as every other citizen.
Only one member from the 'Party of No' voted for the bill, while Rep. Grier Martin, a Raleigh Democrat, charged Republicans of trying to "fight the culture wars on the back of a child," according to the Observer's report.
While 39 other states are ahead of N.C. on passing anti-bullying legislation, only 7 others include sexual orientation protection.
Fortunately, CMS was about a year ahead of the state.
When are our legislators going to get it? Discriminating against someone because of their sexual preferences is DISCRIMINATION.