In Brief

Staff Reports

Louisiana Lawmaker Kills Anti-Bullying Measure After GOP Colleagues Strip Specifications Including Sexual Orientation

BATON ROUGE, LA -- A measure intended to strengthen the state's current law that addresses bullying in schools by adding language that extended the definition to acts "a reasonable person under the circumstances would perceive as being motivated by an actually or perceived characteristic, including but not limited to race, color, ancestry, national origin, religion, exceptionalities, physical disability, intellectual disability, developmental disability, mental illness or emotional health disorder, language ability, sexual orientation, physical characteristics, gender identity, gender expression, political ideas or affiliations, socioeconomic status or association with others identified by such characteristics," was voted down in a 10-5 House committee vote Wednesday, stripping the bill of those key changes, which included sexual orientation.

Democratic Representative Pat Smith from Baton Rouge had championed House Bill 407 as necessary, given continued evidence of bullying, including a recent suicide by a Point Coupee teenager who Smith pointed out emotionally had gone to adults numerous times complaining of being bullied by her pers and classmates.

Current law requires local school boards to write policies that prohibit "harassment, intimidation and bullying." It defines those terms, in part, as, "any intentional gesture or written, verbal or physical act that a reasonable person under the circumstances should know will have the effective of harming a student or damaging his property or placing a student in reasonable fear of harm."

After the vote was taken, Smith announced she was tabling the bill saying that GOP lawmakers actions gutted its intent. The opposition, led by the lead by the conservative Louisiana Family Forum along with support from aides to Republican Governor Bobby Jindal claimed the measure was out of line in listing perceived or actual characteristics that should not subject a student to bullying.

Louisiana Family Forum President Gene Mills, who said he's an ordained minister, told lawmakers, that the bill "introduces sexual politics" into the classroom and would discriminate against religious expression. "You could make a criminal bully out of a child who holds an orthodox view of Christianity."

Smith said the current definitions are too vague, and that many teachers and school administrators aren't well trained to recognize bullying, with some behaviors dismissed as "teasing." Worse, she said, some school employees choose not to protect certain students because of their own personal beliefs. 

Rep. Jeff Thompson, a Bossier City Republican who proposed stripping the list, said: "It's the action, not the motive, that constitutes bullying." 

Jindal aide Russell Armstrong said the governor believes an enumerated list creates winners and losers. Jindal later sidestepped a question about Smith's bill, saying he "supports a bill ... to protect children." He didn't say what bill, though some lawmakers have filed other measures that have yet to be heard. Jindal said local school boards should develop anti-bullying policies. 

Tiffany Phelps, who runs an extracurricular arts studio in New Roads, tearfully recounted her conversations with 17-year-old Tesa Middlebrook about being bullied at Pointe Coupee Parish Central High School.

"We reported it. We reported it to the right people. ... Nothing happened," Phelps said. Middlebrook was found hanging from the bleachers of the school football stadium in March. ~The Times-Picayune-nola.com

Pew Research Poll: Social Issues Rank as Lowest Priorities

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WASHINGTON -- As voters continue to focus on the economy and jobs as top issues, Barack Obama's lead over Mitt Romney has narrowed from a 12 points last month to a slim 49% to 45% advantage. Neither candidate has a clear advantage on the economy or jobs issues, which more than eight-in-ten voters cited as "very important" to their choice. Some of the hot-button social issues, like gay marriage and birth control, are at the bottom of the electorate's agenda.

More than eight-in-ten voters say the economy (86%) and jobs (84%) are very important issues in deciding who to vote for this fall. Roughly three-quarters also cite the federal budget deficit (74%), health care (74%) and education (72%) as top voting priorities. Near the bottom of the list are some of the hot-button social issues. Just 28% say that gay marriage is a very important issue, and 34% rate birth control as a top issue.

The latest national survey by the Pew Research Center for the People & the Press, conducted April 4-15, 2012 among 3,008 adults, including 2,373 registered voters, shows that Obama continues to owe his lead to support from women, college graduates, blacks, Latinos and lower income voters – all of whom support him over Romney by double-digits.

The gender gap remains comparable to those in previous surveys during the current campaign, as well as past election cycles; women favor Obama by a 53% to 40% margin; among men voters, 50% favor Romney, while 44% back Obama. Obama has lost ground among both men and women at about the same rate over the past month.

With nearly all voters concerned about the economy, neither candidate has a clear advantage on the issue. Those who say the economy and jobs will be very important to their vote divide their support almost evenly between Obama and Romney. But the candidates each have advantages on other top-tier issues. Health care and education voters favor Obama by double-digits. Those who rank the federal budget deficit as a top priority favor Romney by a 57% to 38% margin. Romney is also the preferred candidate among those who rank Iran as very important, while Obama leads among those who cite the environment.

While birth control is one of the lowest ranking issues, Obama holds a substantial 56% to 37% lead among voters who rate this as very important. Birth control is significantly more important to women (40% very important) than men (27%), but the gender gap is no greater than over issues like education and health care, which women also rate as more important voting concerns.