In Brief

Staff reports

Michigan House passes a weak anti-bullying bill instead of protecting students

LANSING - The Michigan House Thursday passed House Bill 4163 by a vote of 88-18. The weak bill does not enumerate the reasons that kids are most often targeted and does not have reporting requirements. It now moves on to the Senate.

Michigan lawmakers have faced criticism nationwide since the Senate passed an anti-bullying bill last week that included language that said policies against bullying could not prohibit "a statement of a sincerely held religious belief or moral conviction of a school employee, school volunteer, pupil or a pupil's parent or guardian.

House Republican leaders said that they didn't support that language and would work toward a compromise. The compromise is the bill the House approved Thursday.

The main sponsor, Rep. Phil Potvin, R-Cadillac, recounted stories of two Michigan children who killed themselves after being bullied. He said Michigan is one of just three states in the nation without an anti-bullying law on the books.

"Our students deserve it. We cannot stand on the sidelines anymore," he said. ~ The Detroit Free Press

Emily Dievendorf, Director of Policy for Equality Michigan said;

“We applaud the House Democrats for trying to add the language necessary to make this bill effective. Unfortunately, Republican pressure to pass a useless bill blocked those efforts. The research is clear and we have plenty examples of effective anti-bullying legislation, but House leaders have ignored them. We need enumerated legislation that includes reporting requirements.”

Equality Michigan opposes the bill she said because it will not provide comprehensive protection for Michigan students. HB 4163 does not incorporate best practices used around the nation and provides little direction for local school districts.

“Equality Michigan calls on Michigan Senators to put partisan politics aside in favor of doing what’s best for all Michigan students when this bill comes to them. We can’t afford to waste any additional time on the weak version of this bill that doesn't address the destructive problem of bullying in our schools.”

Liverpool Becomes First City In UK To Recognise Its Gay Quarter

via Pink News UK

LIVERPOOL, ENGLAND -- The city of Liverpool is installing new street signs in the city's famed gay quarter, the first of which was unveiled outside the Lisbon pub on Stanley Street.

The signs, which appear along Stanley Street, Cumberland Street, Temple Lane, Eberle Street and Temple Street, have been introduced following the decision by the Liverpool city council to officially recognise the area surrounding the Stanley Street Quarter as the city's official "Gay Quarter" last August. The new street signage is one of the first visible initiatives to be implemented following this recognition.

One of the city's LGBTQ activists, Adam Simpson from Liverpool LGBT Network, said that the new signage is a required step towards making the Stanley Street Quarter neighbourhood a prime destination for not only the LGBTQ community but tourists from all over as well.

“The Liverpool LGBT Network are proud to see such a visible indication of the joint work between the community, business and Liverpool City Council,” Simpson said. “We will continue to work together with the City Council to develop the Stanley Street Quarter into a first rate destination for residents and visitors,” he added.

Candice Fonseca, owner of the local Delifonseca delicatessen, remarked that the signs and the recognition of the quarter would benefit local businesses.

“As a local business, we are delighted with the new signage which is the first tangible mark of real change to come. By showing visitors to our city where and what the Stanley Street Quarter is, businesses like ours will be able to benefit,” she said.

City Councillor Nick Small, who, along with the city's Deputy Lord Mayor assisted in the unveiling ceremony Friday said; 

“We need to start unleashing the enormous economic potential of the Stanley Street quarter and as one of the first moves we have to show that this is our gay village. The new signs clearly show that we are recognising where the LGBT scene is based in the city and that it is a very important part of our city life.“

Compiled from wire service reports with additional reporting from The Pink News UK .