Iowa Legislators Hope To Scrap Anti-Bullying Measure
Matt Windschitl and Jason Schultz, two Iowa lawmakers, have proposed a bill to explicitly remove gay and lesbian students from anti-bullying policies in state schools.
Gay and lesbian teens are currently protected by the state’s Safe Schools Act, which aims to help students who are being bullied and harassed by ensuring a safe and non-judgmental environment to report incidents. Unacceptable, according to Schultz, who said that he has nothing against gay students, but added that he needs to remove their protections because it will lead to same-sex marriage.
Yes, you read that right. Windschitl and Schultz want to remove anti-bullying measures for gay students—one of the most vulnerable and harassed minorities—from public schools because he opposes an unrelated issue, same-sex marriage. It’s a destructive message for already bullied students, for whom these lawmakers not only have no empathy, but outright disdain.
And the excuse… It spells things out pretty clearly, doesn’t it?
I’ve pointed out many times that the lawmakers and lobbyists behind the movement to ban same-sex marriage don’t typically oppose gay weddings—they dislike gay people period. Maybe they think we’re just indulging in some personal fetish; maybe they think we’re sick in the head; whatever their misconception, one thing is clear: They aim to discriminate against all gay people at the level of the law. Once they ensure that gay people do not have the same legal rights to marriage as straights, they will move to restrict other rights and freedoms. The right to safe schools is just the start.
You can help stop it, not only by contacting Jason Schultz and Matt Windschitl, but by standing up for equal rights everywhere. Apathy is not an appropriate reaction when this is the level that opponents sink to.
