It took over 30 legislative years to pass property tax relief and
17 years to lift the cap on charter schools which should happen soon.
So waiting 13 years to adopt an anti-bullying policy seems like an
overnight success.
But was it?
Sure the legislature finally passed a law that forces schools to
draft an anti-bullying policy within six months but the critics contend
it won't do much.
"We have failed the children of Michigan," lamented the senate
Democrat who's been trying since 2005 to get this job done.
Senator Glenn Anderson (D-Westland) wanted to force schools to
report their bullying cases to the state to determine if the law was
working.
Senate Republicans killed it.
Senator Anderson tried to install a cyber-bullying provision to
cut into the Internet abuse that goes on.
Senate Republicans shot that down fearing it would make the bill
unconstitutional.
Ironically the senate GOP sponsor said he would have supported
the reporting requirement, but he feared inserting that would slow down
the process of getting the law on the books.
This from a GOP senate that left town for a two week hunting
break hours before the House finalized its version of the bill. Off to
the woods they went, leaving behind more students to be bullied.
Bully for the senators who obviously have their priorities
straight.
Even the senate Democratic leader confided, "It is not perfect,"
but a step in the right direction.
So the governor will sign this. Everyone will take a bow as
they boast about trying to protect those kids who are afraid to go to
school, or open an email, for fear the bully is lurking to attack them
once more.
Here's hoping it works.