Call on Speaker Harwell to remove Rep. Kane from House Education Committee for telling bullied kids "That which doesn't kill us makes us stronger."

 

During yesterday's House Education Subcommittee discussion of HB927, a great anti-bullying bill that was sent to the State Department of Education for study, Rep. Roger Kane made some of the most tone deaf comments about bullying imaginable.  In the discussion of bullied students, he said, "That which doesn't kill us makes us stronger."

Well, Representative Kane, I guess you haven't heard that bullying does kill, specifically in Tennessee.  The cases of Jacob Rogers and Phillip Parker are well known throughout the country. 

"Rep. Kane's cavalier comments are deeply disturbing coming from a public official responsible for shaping school safety policies in Tennessee," said Jonathan Cole with the Tennessee Equality Project. "He's essentially saying that bullying is good for you because it toughens you up. Rep. Kane sends a terrible message to those Tennesseans who have forever lost a friend, a student, a son, or a daughter."

A person with Rep. Kane's lack of awareness and empathy has no place in the Legislature and certainly not on the House Education Subcommittee and full Committee.

Please, call Speaker of the House Beth Harwell at (615) 741-0709 or email her at speaker.beth.harwell@capitol.tn.gov and urge her to remove Rep. Kane from the House Education Committee. 

Only 11, Oak Ridge High GSA student talks about being bullied for being gay

A student who is a member of Oak Ridge High School's GSA has shared the following thoughts about being bullied for being gay via Beth Adler, the adviser for the club.  Please, take a moment to read it and consider what's going on in our schools and in our Legislature:

In nature humans think of themselves to survive.  In society they do it to elevate themselves to a superior level. Those mighty who travel in packs dictate who I am and don’t allow my true self to just be ... gay. The word is often hurled as an insult, beating me down. I feel sorry for someone who believes being different is wrong because they miss out on the enormous world of amazing people. They see gays and think “God wouldn’t approve” so they yell “FAGGOT!” as a put down. Not nearly enough people understand what it is like to feel ashamed of being yourself. They aren’t concerned with how it feels because all they think of is themselves. That needs to change.

My story is like many others. Words of hate like “girl shoes”, “gay”, and “faggot” fly as I enter a hostile classroom. It’s a constant flow of attempts to put me down. I.Won’t. Let. Them. They can laugh in my face, point at my boots, but they will never reach my soul. Believe in what you believe, keep your head up high, and don’t ever let them put you down is the phase which shields me from the sorrow. I know some of those people base their life on God, but If they left God for a bit to put themselves in my skin they might see through my eyes.

In America, we say we have freedom and are “God’s best friend,” why then does a good man have to hide himself? Why must he be afraid to say he is gay? Why should he hesitate to tell his “dark secret”? Why does he have to allow what he is to be used against him as a word of insult? As the people stand by, the government chooses to exclude those citizens whom they believe are disgraceful. Every individual inside and outside of the gay community can take the hand of a friend and stand up to this exclusion.

First, I have to say how completely sad this piece is and how brave and thoughtful the student is!  Second, thank goodness for GSAs. It's clear we need safe spaces in our schools for gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender students. Third, what are we doing in state public policy?  Why is Don't Say Gay going through so many iterations?  We need to move forward with the Dignity for All Students Act.  An 11-year-old can see.  Why can't we?

Media Release: TEP urges equality advocates to wear purple Tuesday at House Education Subcommittee meeting

March 18, 2013

Contact:          Chris Sanders            

                        (615) 390-5252                                  

                        chris@tnequalityproject.com                       

Tennessee Equality Project urging equality advocates to wear purple to House Education Subcommittee March 19 for hearings on 3 discriminatory bills and 1 anti-bullying bill

Nashville, TN—The Tennessee Equality Project (TEP), a statewide organization advocating equal rights for Tennessee’s gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender community, is urging equality advocates to attend the House Education Subcommittee meeting at 3:00 p.m. on Tuesday to show opposition to three discriminatory bills and support for one anti-bullying bill.

The meeting takes place in HHR 30 in Legislative Plaza.  For more information about the event, go the Facebook event page at www.facebook.com/events/485159184867426/ .

The Legislation

SB514/HB1185—This bill would allow students in counseling, psychology, and social work programs at Tennessee’s public universities to opt out of serving certain clients if they have a religious objection.  The examples cited by advocates for the bill and even mentioned during a recent Senate Education Committee hearing focus on opting out of serving the gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender community.  The bill was approved by the full Senate on March 14.

SB234/HB1332—The new Don’t Say Gay bill, as written, includes provisions that would require school personnel to out students who come to them about issues of sexuality and gender.  If the proposed amendment is adopted, the bill would prohibit school personnel from counseling students on matters other than education and career unless they are certified in counseling or psychology.  They would have to make a referral to a certified professional, which would generate a contact with the student’s parents.  That would also have the effect of outing the student. 

SB1241/HB1150—The bill is a new version of legislation designed to punish Vanderbilt University for its inclusive all-comers non-discrimination policy for student clubs.  It threatens Vanderbilt with removal of its police force.  The harms to public safety embodied in the bill are obvious, as is the animus toward gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender people.

SB1241/HB927—The Dignity for All Students Act would enhance the state’s anti-school bullying efforts by adding protections enumerating factors such as disability, gender identity, and sexual orientation since these factors are often the basis for bullying. 

For more information on the Tennessee Equality Project, go to http://www.tnequalityproject.org .

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Media Release: Advancing Equality Day on the Hill

March 11, 2013                                                               

TEP’s 9^th annual Advancing Equality Day on the Hill highlights clergy support, new fronts in the battle for equality in Tennessee

Nashville, TN—The Tennessee Equality Project (TEP), a statewide organization advocating equal rights for Tennessee’s gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender community, will hold its 9^th annual Advancing Equality Day on the Hill on Tuesday, March 12 in Nashville. 

This year’s events 

-feature a clergy prayer breakfast at Legislative Plaza and constituent meetings with 17 senators and 37 representatives followed by a press conference,

-highlight new fronts in the battle for equality in Tennessee,

-and are designed to address bills affecting the gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender community, which are up for key votes this week and the next. 

The Legislation

SB514/HB1185—This bill would allow students in counseling, psychology, and social work programs at Tennessee’s public universities to opt out of serving certain clients if they have a religious objection.  The examples cited by advocates for the bill and even mentioned during a recent Senate Education Committee hearing focus on opting out of serving the gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender community.  The bill is set for a vote by the full Senate on Monday evening (March 11).

SB234/HB1332—The new Don’t Say Gay bill includes provisions that would require school personnel to out students who come to them about issues of sexuality and gender.  A recent MTSU poll showed that a clear majority of people in Tennessee oppose the bill.  Rep. John Ragan, the House sponsor, has received over 1400 emails and hundreds of phone calls urging him to withdraw the bill.  His legislative assistant has told citizens calling his office that the bill is being rewritten.  

SB1241/HB1150—The bill is a new version of legislation designed to punish Vanderbilt University for its inclusive all-comers non-discrimination policy for student clubs.  It threatens Vanderbilt with removal of its police force.  The harms to public safety embodied in the bill are obvious, as is the animus toward gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender people.  The bill is up in the House Education Subcommittee on March 12 and up in the Senate Education Committee on March 13.

SB1241/HB927—For the first time legislation has been introduced to enhance the state’s anti-school bullying efforts by adding protections enumerating factors such as disability, gender identity, and sexual orientation since these factors are often the basis for bullying.  The bill should be up in committee in the next two weeks.

The Events

TEP Foundation and Clergy for Justice Anti-Bullying Prayer Breakfast—The event takes place Tuesday, March 12 from 9:30 a.m. to 10:30 a.m. in the Legislative Plaza cafeteria.  Clergy and other guests will hear presentations on school bullying issues to help them advocate for safe schools in Tennessee.

Constituent meetings with Legislators—Citizens from Memphis, Jackson, Nashville, Murfreesboro, Cookeville, Crossville, Chattanooga, Knoxville, Maryville, and the Tri-Cities will meet with their senators and representatives throughout the day on March 12 to discuss bills important to the gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender community.

Press conference—TEP will hold a press conference at 1:00 on March 12 at the top of the escalator in Legislative Plaza to discuss important legislation and to make public the Tennessee Human Rights Statement and the businesses, religious organizations, and community organizations that have endorsed it.  The Tennessee Human Rights Statement provides a stark contrast to the discriminatory legislation filed this session and shows the beginnings of a new inclusiveness emerging in Tennessee.  

For more information on the Tennessee Equality Project, go to http://www.tnequalityproject.org .

Contact us at chris@tnequalityproject.com .

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Memphis Housing Authority expands protections to LGBT employees

MHA joins the list of organizations protecting
LGBT employees from discrimination.

Tennessee Equality Project is pleased to share news of expanded workplace protections for LGBT employees in Memphis. 

On Thursday, Feb. 28, the Board of Commissioners of the Memphis Housing Authority approved Resolution No. 4315 which amended the Section 1.03 on Equal Employment Opportunity in  the MHA Employee Handbook . The new verbiage added "..., genetic information, veteran status, political affiliation, sexual orientation and gender identity."

Commissioner Ian L. Randolph confirmed the change to the employee handbook with Tennessee Equality Project on Friday. 

This action follows the addition of housing protections for LGBT consumers during the first administration of President Barack Obama in federally funded housing programs (most of MHA's funding comes from Federal Government).  Commissioner Randolph reported that the Memphis Employment Non-Discrimination Ordinance enacted in October 2013 by the Memphis City Council influenced the decision to extend LGBT-inclusive workplace protections to MHA employees.

TEP applauds the leadership of the MHA Board of Commissioners. Let's continue to look for an equality ripple effect in Memphis and Shelby County.