Professional Oklahoma Educators

Congress is currently considering the Safe Schools Improvement Act of 2009, which would require public schools to define categories in their discipline policies such as “gender identity” and “sexual orientation.”

This bill would give special protection to groups that are often targeted for bullying, but it would not protect every child equally. We must push for equal protection for every child because bullying is wrong no matter the character or lifestyle of the bully or bullied.

Not only is the bill inherently unequal, but it is also likely to be a burden on schools as its implementation would yield more lawsuits. Furthermore, this bill could be a vehicle to promote homosexuality in schools.

The Safe Schools Improvement Act of 2009 is also known as House Resolution 2262. If you would like to read the full text of the measure from the Congress bill tracking service, click HERE.

The controversial language can be found in Section 2, Sub-Section G under the “bullying” definition.

The bill is currently in committee and will go to a vote in the House as the next step in the process.

If you would like to personally get in touch with your Congressperson, find his or her contact information at http://www.house.gov/.