School anti-bully bill passes House

By Melanthia Mitchell

Associated Press

OLYMPIA — Washington schools would have to draw up plans for dealing with classroom bullies if a bill passed by the House becomes law.

Wednesday’s 81-16 vote was a long-awaited victory for Rep. Ed Murray, who has seen similar bills fail in the last four years.

House Bill 1444 would require all 296 Washington school districts to adopt or amend anti-bullying policies by Aug. 1, 2003. The state would write a model policy as a guide and provide training materials.

Murray, D-Seattle, said the bill is designed to ensure all children have a safe and secure learning environment.

The proposal — first introduced by Murray in 1998 — gives local school districts control over how best to develop policy and training guides to create safe surroundings for students, he said.

Opponents had argued the bill was unnecessary and would do little to stop bullying.

"This Legislature cannot stop children from calling each other names in the hallways," Murray said. "This bill is about setting a state standard to ensure that all schools are safe, that all students are safe."

Rep. Ida Ballasiotes, R-Mercer Island, said schools are like any other environment, where attitudes and atmosphere emanate from the top.

"A parent has the right to expect that when a child is sent to school, they will be safe," she said. "If an administrator needs a policy to hang their hat on, this will do it."

The bill spent several years snagged in the contentious House tie, which allowed opponents to kill it in committee. Last year, it died after religious conservatives argued it would infringe on a student’s First Amendment right to speak out against homosexuality — perhaps a reaction to Murray, who is one of two openly gay members of the Legislature.

With Democrats now in control, Murray was able to use his influence as a committee chairman to move the bill quickly to the House floor.

Pockets of opposition remained.

"Some people have objected that the bill is in some way part of the gay rights agenda," said Rep. Toby Nixon, R-Kirkland. "Perhaps it is. Perhaps it should be part of the fat people’s agenda and the short people’s agenda, too."

"For us to think that changing the law will change a behavior is inappropriate," said Rep. Mike Armstrong, R-Wenatchee.

The bill now moves to the Senate, which passed a similar version last year.