Gov. Christie signs 'Anti-Bullying Bill of Rights'

[DSM4Life]

Gov. Chris Christie has signed a bill advocates say gives New Jersey the toughest anti-bullying law in the nation.

Christie signed the “Anti-Bullying Bill of Rights,” according to a press release from Garden State Equality, the state’s largest gay rights organization, which advocated for the bill.

The new law is intended to eliminate loopholes in the state’s first anti-bullying law, passed in 2002, that encouraged school districts to set up anti-bullying programs but did not mandate it.

It will require training for most public school teachers, administrators and other employees on how to spot bullying and mandate that all districts form a "school safety team" to review complaints. School districts would be graded by the state on their efforts to combat the problem.

Administrators who do not investigate reported incidents of bullying would be disciplined, while students who bully could be suspended or expelled. School employees would also be required to report all incidents they learn of, whether they took place in or outside of school.

The bill sailed through the Assembly and Senate in November. It passed 73-1, with 5 abstentions, in the Assembly. It passed the Senate 30-0.

Christie signed the bill Wednesday, spokesman Michael Drewniak said.

"He signed it, and we're overjoyed," said state Sen. Loretta Weinberg (D-Bergen), one of the bill's prime sponsors.

State Sen. Diane Allen (R-Burlington), also a prime sponsor, said while the law won't end bullying, school employees will know how to better deal with it.
"While we cannot change human nature, we can change how government and school officials respond to unacceptable behavior," she said.

The bill, in the works for almost a year, gained publicity and momentum after the suicide of Rutgers freshman Tyler Clementi, whose roommate streamed a romantic encounter between him and another man over the internet.

http://www.nj.com/news/index.ssf/201...ti-bullyi.html

[MuscleScience]

I remember growing up and being bullied was just a part of life. If you didn't want to be bullied then you fight back a few times and the bully will look for an easier target. Now with facebook and other social medias, bullying has hit another level. Still the same old fact holds true, you wipe your bullies ass, he/she wont pick on you no more. If you dont stand up to them and go tattle tail, you can be assured of a worse beating next time.

Lifes not always fair America, toughen up,because the Chinese are.

[DSM4Life]

I remember growing up and being bullied was just a part of life. If you didn't want to be bullied then you fight back a few times and the bully will look for an easier target. Now with facebook and other social medias, bullying has hit another level. Still the same old fact holds true, you wipe your bullies ass, he/she wont pick on you no more. If you dont stand up to them and go tattle tail, you can be assured of a worse beating next time.

Lifes not always fair America, toughen up,because the Chinese are.

I agree but not totally. Not everyone has the same will power as "us" (people who stick up for themselves). Some kids instead of going after the bully turn on themselves. I know a lot of people say "well he was just weak, it happens." Yeah it happens but should we allow it to happen ?

Do you have kids MS ? Say you talked to your kids about about bullies and how if they picked on your child that he/she can talk to you about it but what if he/she didnt cause they were to scared and they took their own life. Would you say "well my child was weak and he probably deserved it ?"

Its a problem that i think need to be shown to the public. The more the issue is brought to light the less issues we will have. Will people abuse it ? yes but should that stop us from pushing forward ? No.

[Shol'va]

Not only that but it seems the weak ones who turn inward stew in their self hatred of not be able to stand up for themselves and it eventually leads to something like columbine. However there needs to be balance in the laws and not let it go overboard with what could just be friendly child banter turn into harassment charges. Unfortunaltely ther will always be some idiots somewhere who push the new laws to the hilt instead of allowing it to solve the problems it was intended for. ( Ok i'm still asleep while writing this so I just noticed your post DSM and I agree we should keep pushing forward.)

[stack_it]

[Public Enemy]

This Bill should not just apply to one group of people but to all. I am not living in America now but do they have bills like these against racism, fascism, nationalism, and religious hate or does this one do that?

I think bullying of sorts, be it against kids because they were gay, different culture, black, white, latino, foreign, arabic, jewish, religious, non-religious, muslim, etc.. should all be fiercely combated. Sadly no bill can change the thinking of individuals. With rappers screaming "faggot!" and "Cracker" on singles, with Don Imus calling women's basketball team "Nappy Headed Hos" on Radio, with at Robertson describing Islam and Muslims as "Violence" on Fox News.... how can it ever be avoided when people are so exposed to all this? All those things trigger the ignorant to think that way. What these politicians and governors (Some who have helped spread a good share of hatred themselves) could have done smarter here is pass bills that will hit hard on the origin of this spread of hate, that is without a doubt in my mind, national media. Will it stop it completely? No. But it sure as hell would avoid a lot of hatred being born. Whats the point in punishing a racist, homophobe, islamophobe, fascist, nationalist, etc that has already become dirt? He will be temperarily sorry, or maybe not, due to his punishment but he will go back to his thinking and that is just fact, 90% of the time. Thats my opinion.

[Hazard]

In a perfect world..... everyone would just get along. It's a sad reality that people get picked on for ANY reason..... but it happens and builds character - good OR bad. I think everyone at some point in their life gets bullied for something. Theres always someone there to pick on you or make fun of you for something.....

I definately see both sides to this bill. I like it and I don't..... I mean..... not everyone has the will power to stand up for themself..... then again - if we don't teach these kids how to stand up for themselves..... then what happens when they're an adult and get bullied?

This bill may be a step in the right direction..... but we need to do more to teach kids how to handle these certain situations. How to feel good about themselves...... and that it's ok to feel the way they do or think the way they think.

~Haz~

[Ernst]

[MuscleScience]

I agree but not totally. Not everyone has the same will power as "us" (people who stick up for themselves). Some kids instead of going after the bully turn on themselves. I know a lot of people say "well he was just weak, it happens." Yeah it happens but should we allow it to happen ?

Do you have kids MS ? Say you talked to your kids about about bullies and how if they picked on your child that he/she can talk to you about it but what if he/she didnt cause they were to scared and they took their own life. Would you say "well my child was weak and he probably deserved it ?"

Its a problem that i think need to be shown to the public. The more the issue is brought to light the less issues we will have. Will people abuse it ? yes but should that stop us from pushing forward ? No.

Well I did have kids, but thats another matter. I was picked on terribly because I looked different. Many times I wanted to kill myself over it. But the thought of those assholes winning kept me going.

My dad eventually caught wind of what was happening and taught me how to defend myself. One day I came home and my clothers were ripped and all dirty. Dad ask what had happened. I said basically nothing, I was so upset. He basically told me that this was the last time you come home from school after getting picked on and do nothing about it. He said he didnt care if I got kicked out of school or not. He said the next person that puts so much as a finger on you in hate. You are to punch him in the nose as hard as you can, and keep punching until he doesnt want to fight anymore. If you dont, and your clothers are ripped I am making you pay for them.

It took some courage and a few weeks to pass before someone got the chance to bully me. I was so scared, not of the kid. But what would happen if my cloths got ripped. We didnt have much money and my parents worked hard for me to have cloths. In my mind I would have got a much worse ass wooping at home if i let that kid touch me again.

So when the usual bully showed up, and all my friends coward away, it was just he and I. He pushed me and called derogatorily word which in short insults my family. When he went in for another shuve I caught him perfectly on the chin and he fell down. I remember the punch coming from someone other than me, but it felt so good. Before I knew it I was kicking him and kicking him and kicking him until he begged me to stop. I don't remember kicking him, I just remember all the pats on the back when the other kids finally stopped it. everyone mocked this bully so bad. Turns out after that he never picked on anyone again. I of course got kicked out of school, I thought my dad would have been so angry. But instead he had a few days off and we went fishing the whole rest of the week and bonded. E

Ever since then I have really never let someone get overly physical with me. Not that I am a tough guy. I just dont let the situation get to the point of being ridiculous.

[Hunter]

I went to a rural school myself. You had four types of kids. City kids who parents often had money, country kids who were almost always poor, then farm kids which some had money some didnt depending on the size of the farm. Generational farmers had far less money then those large co-op farms.

Our school had its fair share of bullying but most guys stood up for themselves and that ended that and the girls never really picked on each other cause bertha the farm girl would have beat the the sh!t out of rachel whose dad worked at the bank.

I see both sides of the arguements. Kids are being picked on worse I think but people worrying about kids not learning to stand up for themselves. I think schools need to be more proactive but I went to a small school were the teachers knew every student by name. I just think schools need to be more proactive I don't really see this bill doing much for students I guess.

[DSM4Life]

Well I did have kids, but thats another matter. I was picked on terribly because I looked different. Many times I wanted to kill myself over it. But the thought of those assholes winning kept me going.

My dad eventually caught wind of what was happening and taught me how to defend myself. One day I came home and my clothers were ripped and all dirty. Dad ask what had happened. I said basically nothing, I was so upset. He basically told me that this was the last time you come home from school after getting picked on and do nothing about it. He said he didnt care if I got kicked out of school or not. He said the next person that puts so much as a finger on you in hate. You are to punch him in the nose as hard as you can, and keep punching until he doesnt want to fight anymore. If you dont, and your clothers are ripped I am making you pay for them.

It took some courage and a few weeks to pass before someone got the chance to bully me. I was so scared, not of the kid. But what would happen if my cloths got ripped. We didnt have much money and my parents worked hard for me to have cloths. In my mind I would have got a much worse ass wooping at home if i let that kid touch me again.

So when the usual bully showed up, and all my friends coward away, it was just he and I. He pushed me and called derogatorily word which in short insults my family. When he went in for another shuve I caught him perfectly on the chin and he fell down. I remember the punch coming from someone other than me, but it felt so good. Before I knew it I was kicking him and kicking him and kicking him until he begged me to stop. I don't remember kicking him, I just remember all the pats on the back when the other kids finally stopped it. everyone mocked this bully so bad. Turns out after that he never picked on anyone again. I of course got kicked out of school, I thought my dad would have been so angry. But instead he had a few days off and we went fishing the whole rest of the week and bonded. E

Ever since then I have really never let someone get overly physical with me. Not that I am a tough guy. I just dont let the situation get to the point of being ridiculous.

I've had the same thing but we/this bill is focused more on the kids who want to kill themselves and actually follow through with it. Thank god you had a good father that taught you that but what if you didn't have him ? How about all the single mothers who have children ? 90% of those mothers aren't going to teach their children this. They would instead talk to school officials and make the situation even worse.

Again i understand where you are coming from but you still need to see the other side.

[D7M]

It's pretty pathetic that in our society the family unit has broken down so much, that we need legislation to teach our children how to behave.

[DSM4Life]

It's pretty pathetic that in our society the family unit has broken down so much, that we need legislation to teach our children how to behave.

+2. Its makes you wonder where the hell the future of us humans is going.

[JohnnyVegas]

The more you act like an ass, the more you should be punished by being removed from society until a lesson is learned. Too bad we need to depend on the government to handle it. I support these laws, but wish it could be handled by solid parenting...mostly by the parents of the bullies. I suppose the problem with that is the kid's bullying might actually be caused by his home life. This supports my argument for parenting licenses.

[D7M]

The more you act like an ass, the more you should be punished by being removed from society until a lesson is learned. Too bad we need to depend on the government to handle it. I support these laws, but wish it could be handled by solid parenting...mostly by the parents of the bullies. I suppose the problem with that is the kid's bullying might actually be caused by his home life. This supports my argument for parenting licenses.

Parenting licenses?

[MuscleScience]

I've had the same thing but we/this bill is focused more on the kids who want to kill themselves and actually follow through with it. Thank god you had a good father that taught you that but what if you didn't have him ? How about all the single mothers who have children ? 90% of those mothers aren't going to teach their children this. They would instead talk to school officials and make the situation even worse.

Again i understand where you are coming from but you still need to see the other side.

I am not sure what point your making?

[DSM4Life]

I am not sure what point your making?

Looks like you had, at least by your story a stable family. At min a stable dad to help you out. How about the 60% of children who don't have this ? Who do they turn to ?

[MuscleScience]

Looks like you had, at least by your story a stable family. At min a stable dad to help you out. How about the 60% of children who don't have this ? Who do they turn to ?

The great provider known as the federal government. We are paying for the programs, so they might as well use them.

[DSM4Life]

Just pointing out that most people take things for granted or simply don't understand the impact others have on them. For example: A mother, father, support. If it wasn't for my mother, father, sister, brother and friends i have no clue where i would be right now. I am VERY grateful for everyone in my life.

[MuscleScience]

Just pointing out that most people take things for granted or simply don't understand the impact others have on them. For example: A mother, father, support. If it wasn't for my mother, father, sister, brother and friends i have no clue where i would be right now. I am VERY grateful for everyone in my life.

As a side note now that I think back. The kid that picked on my and I got the best of. Years later killed himself in a scheme to cover up a murder that he in no way had to be involved in. The cops found out what he did, which was to help his supposed friend cover up a murder. To later he was convected with adding and abetting.

[Hunter]

As a side note now that I think back. The kid that picked on my and I got the best of. Years later killed himself in a scheme to cover up a murder that he in no way had to be involved in. The cops found out what he did, which was to help his supposed friend cover up a murder. To later he was convected with adding and abetting.

Our school had a young man whose dad was president of the bank. He would make jokes about farms being foreclosed on or farmers being turned down for loans etc. Well he married a girl who was heir to her fathers farm, he had never worked on a farm and got both his arms ripped off in a grain auger and yet he is still a prick.

[DSM4Life]

Our school had a young man whose dad was president of the bank. He would make jokes about farms being foreclosed on or farmers being turned down for loans etc. Well he married a girl who was heir to her fathers farm, he had never worked on a farm and got both his arms ripped off in a grain auger and yet he is still a prick.

Hi five ! ... i mean ummm nevermind.

[The Toad]

There is a show that throws bullies in the cage with an MMA fighter. I love watching them get their butts kicked. http://www.mtv.com/shows/bully_beatd...3/series.jhtml

[DSM4Life]

There is a show that throws bullies in the cage with an MMA fighter. I love watching them get their butts kicked. http://www.mtv.com/shows/bully_beatd...3/series.jhtml

Watched some on youtube. I like it.

[zaggahamma]

i hope the law/training of teachers works/helps