Michigan's 'Matt's Safe School Law' Allows Bullying With Religious, Moral Reason (VIDEO)

A bill aimed at ending bullying has passed in the Republican-controlled Michigan Senate, but ignited a somewhat emotional wave of criticism among Democrats, TIME's Swampland reports.

The staunch opposition stems from the fact that the law allows harassment by teachers and students as long as they can claim their actions are rooted in a "sincerely held religious belief or moral conviction." Those who truly believe homosexuality is wrong, for example, are free to torment classmates consequence-free.

On the floor, Senator Gretchen Whitmer gave a harsh criticism dripping with emotion, WWMT reported.

"You may be able to pat yourselves on the back today and say that you did something," she said. "But in actuality you are explicitly outlining how to get away with bullying," Whitmer said.

In her speech, Whitmer went on to outline the irony in naming the bill "Matt's Safe School Law," after a Michigan teen who committed suicide in 2002 from falling victim to bullying.

Matt's father Kevin Epling told the Detroit Free Press that the law makes him "ashamed" and called it "government-sanctioned bigotry."

The bill's sponsor Republican Sen. Rick Jones told the paper that while the motion "may not be perfect" he believes it's a step in the right direction.

WATCH Sen. Gretchen Whitmer's emotional response:

CORRECTION: A previous version of this piece incorrectly stated that Matt Epling fell victim to anti-gay bullying. The family has since spoken out to note that Matt was simply a victim of bullying and was not gay.

Comments

[Kerman Raines]

10:30 AM on 11/30/2011

A new law that outlines "How to Bully Legally".

[Tracie Renkiewicz]

06:54 PM on 11/16/2011

In the right direction my butt!!!!! Sen. Rick Jones you suck big ole donkey schlongs!!!! You may as well make it a law to bully!

[ComradeTowarzysz]

01:37 PM on 11/11/2011

This bill couldn't have been more of a step in the wrong direction than if the state voted the bill down in its entirety.

[Chirper Lady]

10:01 AM on 11/11/2011

The article decribed the new law very well. The truth is most law teach law breakers how to get around the laws.

Yesterday when I discussed this with my parents I commented that things seem to have gotten worse. Claiming that it wasn't like that when was growing up. Then they reminded me that it was exactly the same when I was growing up except I bullied the bullies. LOL

They were right, I used to dare people to pick on others, because to get to them they had to come thru me. Teachers used to say it was standing up to the abuser, but I think my parents are right... I was just a bigger bully.

[Trekkiefandom]

10:43 PM on 11/10/2011

All I needed to see what Republican - religious bullying --- and my Brain said Of course.

[VA Jill]

08:16 PM on 11/10/2011

This is worse than no law at all, and the sanctimonious SOBs who created it should be ashamed. They are turning Michigan into a cesspool.

[Cunningham]

09:03 PM on 11/11/2011

Engler started the rapid downfall of Michigan. It's only gotten worse with Snyder and an insane State Congress.

[Frostie680]

04:12 PM on 11/09/2011

So this means I can bully a gay teen because he's already not having a hard time about it, I can make that pregnant 16 year old cry because obviously teens are too perfect to make a mistake, I can harrass a kid who does drugs because his home life MUST be perfect, I can publicy embarass any kid who doesn't believe in God because everybody must come from the same religous background. All this is okay because I am showing my example by claiming to be a true Christian while a true one who doesn't brag about being so holy is out comforting and loving all these people because they understand that we are commanded to love thy neighbor

[Political Avatar]

12:29 PM on 11/09/2011

This was a political ply to proteck their base, and I am frankly appalled. There was and is no reason for this language. Free speech, thats amazing, because you give up certain rights to free speech in the first place when you go to school. Teachers cant just say or teach anything they want and students cant just start cursing or talking about certain matters in the middle of class or loadly in a hallway.

So why are they specifically trying to protect religious speech? To appease their base and protect their own behinds. Period.

[April Apricot]

01:08 AM on 11/09/2011

If you're a true religious christian, you would NOT condemn others of their sins, bully those we should love or push beliefs onto others. Accept, approve, and appreciate people everyone!

[jm26dream]

04:00 PM on 11/09/2011

wimp

[Trekkiefandom]

10:43 PM on 11/10/2011

What are you going to call him or her next poop face, cooties?

[Ken Detweiler]

04:26 PM on 11/11/2011

um, being a Christian is precisely about condemning others of their sin. The core of the belief system is that those guilty of the "sin" of not "accepting Christ" are damned to hell.

[April Apricot]

02:39 PM on 11/12/2011

That's exactly the twisted religion that's come up. The true religion of Christianity is love thy neighbor (treat others with respect and the way you'd want to be treated) and accepting people. Of course, in general- society and culture has been screwed up- big time.

[mrcole1018]

09:34 PM on 11/08/2011

sen. gretchen went in on these fools...YOU GO GIRL

[jramboz]

04:37 PM on 11/08/2011

We already have a name for harassment/bullying based on "sincerely held religious belief or moral conviction." It's called a hate crime.

[NCOak]

03:20 PM on 11/08/2011

“This section does not prohibit a statement of a sincerely held religious belief or moral conviction of a school employee, school volunteer, pupil, or a pupil and parent or guardian.”

notice it says 'statement', one can assume harassing/bullying along these lines is still outlawed, as that would fall outside of a 'statement of a sincerely help religious or moral belief.' so if a kid is talking about homosexuality and states he thinks it is a sin (which is his right under the first amendment), he won't be brought up for bullying charges. not really declaring open season here, folks.

i think this is being a bit overblown.

[YrthWyndAndFyre]

08:51 AM on 11/09/2011

Really? Do you think so? OK, I posit a scenario for you. Gay teenage boy in a locker room surrounded by a dozen jocks, all of whom are repeatedly telling him, "You're a sinner and you're going to burn in hell."

That, presumably is covered by the exception, and that sounds exactly like bullying to me.

What do you think? That for it to be bullying there has to be shouting? Expletives? Kidney punches? The representative in the video is perfectly correct. The exception swallows the rule. They passed a law that exempts the very thing that, by association (the name of the bill), it is supposed to prevent.

It's precisely like passing a law that makes it illegal to shoot somebody unless you really, really believe that they deserve to die.

[Sarielle Stroman]

11:02 AM on 11/09/2011

I don't think you understand what bullying is. It's not *just* roughing a kid up for his milk money and wedgies.

More often, it involves "statements": insults, epithets, vicious rumours and social shunning. These are the things that result in a child feeling unwanted and "wrong" enough to attempt suicide.

[pjohns]

03:16 PM on 11/08/2011

...and wasn't Michigan a state in which they tried a 10 yr. old as an adult? I think the "power strata" has gone bonkers...............

[Shesme]

12:41 PM on 11/08/2011

This makes no sense. Bullying in the name of a religious or moral conviction is still bullying.
With or without a law, kids (or adults) can make a statement about themselves and their own moral and religious convictions without bullying or condemning anyone.
There's a world of difference between saying, for instance, "I believe x-kind-of-behavior is wrong" or saying "You are an evil x-kind-of-person". The first statement is fine, wherever and whenever you make it. The second statement is bullying because it targets another person. Teach kids this difference, for the sake of civil society.
Go ahead and make a law against bullying, but make it across the board. Plenty of kids use religious and moral judgements to bully other kids. Adults do it to. It's wrong in all cases.

[sinner11]

12:13 PM on 11/08/2011

This bill defeats the whole purpose of anti-bullying legislation.