Common sense says to pass anti-bullying bill

The state Legislature’s dumb-founding inability to oppose bullying of school children finally seems to be giving way to common sense.

What a difference a year makes.

The House of Representatives never voted on the measure in 2001, in part because a Republican co-chair used the even split between the parties to block action. Demonstrating imaginations of impressive dimensions, some opponents managed to suggest the measure would somehow infringe on students’ First Amendment rights to speak out against homosexuality or opposing religious beliefs. It was that kind of year, where a faction within each party or a co-chair who didn’t want to tackle an issue could block anything. Democrats abused the power too.

This year, the breaking of the House tie has allowed action on some common sense measures, like the anti-bullying bill. The measure requires schools to draw up anti-bullying plans and the state to provide a model policy. The effort should help schools focus on short-circuiting the kind of terror too often created by craven, values-challenged bullies (who would be the last people in the world interested in witnessing religious beliefs of any kind).

Attorney General Christine Gregoire summed up the situation nicely for legislators last month: "Teasing, harassing, bullying, dissing … is not only wrong, it can be a life or death issue in our schools today. As adults we don’t tolerate harassment in the workplace. Why then would we allow harassment in our schools to go on with such a vulnerable population as our children?"

Senators last year passed the bill twice on strong, largely bipartisan votes. When the bill finally came to a House vote last week, the measure passed on another bipartisan vote. Indeed, the overwhelming 81-16 vote spoke of the sound thinking frequently buried under political gamesmanship last year.

One of the state’s most thoughtful and consistent anti-crime advocates, Republican Rep. Ida Ballasiotes of Mercer Island, told colleagues, "A parent has a right to expect that when a child is sent to school, they will be safe." Rep. Toby Nixon, R-Kirkland, told the House that he was voting yes: "Some people have objected that the bill is in some way part of the gay rights agenda. Perhaps it is. Perhaps it should be part of the fat people’s agenda and the short people’s agenda, too."

With that good send-off from the House, the bill must receive final approval from the Senate and Gov. Gary Locke. When the governor signs the bill into law, it will be belated but important victory for the common-sense notion that school shouldn’t be turned into trauma for vulnerable students.