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    erelongdonedodoesdidJoanna Rothkopf
    7/14/15 11:22pm

    Wait, so 64 democratic members of congress sent a letter but only 52 members of congress voted for the bill. What am I missing here besides the fact that maybe 12 democrats don’t have their act together?

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      Tabby Gevinsonerelongdonedodoesdid
      7/14/15 11:32pm

      64 Dems in the House of Representatives sent the letter, 52 Senators voted for the bill.

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      erelongdonedodoesdidTabby Gevinson
      7/14/15 11:36pm

      Ah ok thanks. I was so confused there.

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    ZolaBuddsShoesJoanna Rothkopf
    7/15/15 12:56am

    Making bullying in schools a Federal crime?

    No, nothing wrong with that fucking idea.

    It’s like Franken asked his advisors, “What’s the worst possible way to deal with this problem?” and went from there.

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      Eager OphiuchusZolaBuddsShoes
      7/15/15 1:04am

      Calm yourself. The bill would not have made bullying a federal crime. The person doing the bullying would not have been subject to federal investigation, nor would that person have risked a sentence in a federal prison. None of the text says any of that.

      It would, however, require school administrators to respond to claims of discrimination/harassment. If a student claimed that he was beat up while other kids yelled the f-word, the school couldn’t just say “stop being such a f-word and they’ll stop hitting you.” (Which is what currently happens.) Read the bill’s text and you’ll see.

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      ZolaBuddsShoesEager Ophiuchus
      7/15/15 2:39am

      Also not the Federal Government’s job.

      It’s the local school board’s job.

      Statists. SMH.

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    NatTheBurnerTurnerJoanna Rothkopf
    7/14/15 11:07pm

    Gay marriage was a huge turning point in the battle for civil rights for LGBT individuals, but there is so far to go.

    I’m interested to see how this aspect of the culture war will play out in 2016. I think it’s a loser in the presidential race but how many seats in Congress will it win?

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      opheeliaNatTheBurnerTurner
      7/15/15 1:43am

      PSA: Progressives have to start focusing on local as well as national elections. Your school boards and city/county governments are key. Ask candidates about sex ed and other issues you think are important. You don’t even have to talk to anyone anymore. Look up the candidates and send an email.

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      Juniperopheelia
      7/15/15 2:06am

      This post deserves more stars. I never look very deep into who to vote for in school board elections, as I have no children, but this will serve as a good yardstick in the future.

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    GregoireJoanna Rothkopf
    7/14/15 11:23pm

    This bill may not have done much substantially but we now have Congress on record voting to preserve a certain aspect of discrimination in schools.

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      Tabby GevinsonGregoire
      7/14/15 11:34pm

      The bill would have died even had it passed because the House would have killed it.

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    NeverMindEdithJoanna Rothkopf
    7/14/15 11:18pm
    GIF

    I feel you, panda.

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      thetallblonde loves twinjaNeverMindEdith
      7/15/15 8:31am
      GIF
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    Jurassic PorkerJoanna Rothkopf
    7/14/15 11:08pm

    “...because some people are terrible.”

    Yep.

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      buonragazzoJurassic Porker
      7/14/15 11:33pm

      Let’s be more specific.

      Republicans are terrible.

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      adultosaur married anna on the astral planebuonragazzo
      7/15/15 7:13am

      nah. i mean yeah, but it’s people.

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    HauptjJoanna Rothkopf
    7/14/15 11:10pm

    So what exactly was this bill going to do? Call me optimistic, but schools can’t actually have policies about which cases of harrasment they deal with based on why the student is being harassed, so there’s got to be something specific it was trying to stop (or start), right?

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      KataiHauptj
      7/14/15 11:19pm

      From a quick skim, it sounds like they were targeting the administrative side of abuse. Stuff like kicking a boy off the football team because he’s gay.

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      KarenDelaneyWalkerHauptj
      7/15/15 12:19am

      Part (F) of the bill:

      (F) Provisions of Federal statutory law ex- 4 pressly prohibit discrimination on the basis of 5 race, color, sex, religion, disability, and national 6 origin. The Department of Education and the 7 Department of Justice, as well as numerous 8 courts, have correctly interpreted the prohibi- 9 tions on sex discrimination to include discrimi- 10 nation based on sex stereotypes and gender 11 identity, even when that sex-based discrimina- 12 tion coincides or overlaps with discrimination 13 based on sexual orientation. However, the ab- 14 sence of express Federal law prohibitions on 15 discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation 16 and gender identity has created unnecessary 17 uncertainty that risks limiting access to legal 18 remedies under Federal law for LGBT students 19 and their parents.

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    imaginaryfriendJoanna Rothkopf
    7/15/15 12:51am

    when you vote GOP, this is what you’re voting for.

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      JynxLuckyJimaginaryfriend
      7/15/15 10:21am

      Unfortunately the people that vote GOP are already aware and support this message

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