Bullying really isn't what it used to be

Betsy M. Galliher

Bullying really isn't what it used to be. Gone are the days of kicking sand, and sticking gum in schoolgirls' braids. The modern bully is far more passive aggressive in his harassment. Creating the damage, cursing the falsely accused, and then cleaning up his own mess as onlookers praise the compassion. Kind of like blaming others for our fiscal mess as you bankrupt the country; or calling for civility, as you demonize your ‘opponent.' So, it would be laughable if not so apropos that the man who put the bully in bully pulpit hosted yesterday's "Conference on Bullying" at the White House, along with the Departments of Education and Health and Human Services, and a cast of progressive characters -- bullying Senator, Al Franken, gay activist, Dan Savage, and AFL-CIO member and President of the American Federation of Teachers, to name a few.

The Obama's even recorded a lovely public service announcement (Facebook.com/StopBullying.gov) promoting the Bullying Summit. Sadly, Michelle Obama does not share her husband's skill with teleprompters. Her wandering focus, and sleep-inducing pace would be mocked incessantly on Saturday Night Live were it not for the fact she is a Democrat.

I received an email this week from our Indiana "Organizing For America" chapter, also known as Barackobama.com. It asked Democrats -- in a dramatic irony twist -- to join in the President's fight and tell Indiana Republicans, "true leadership means making tough choices and putting people before party or ideology...Congressional Republicans have to ‘come to the table,' ....We simply cannot afford any proposal that weakens our country or sets us back." All the while, Congressional Democrats continue to hold Indiana State government hostage from across the Illinois State line.

Organizing public unions from within the White House may be the most brazen, dare I say bullying, of dramatic ironies. Because when a President organizes on behalf of public unions he inadvertently organizes against other citizens, namely taxpayers.

In that same vein, President Obama dropped in on a "Youth Engagement Roundtable" at Cleveland State University last month, just one of many round table discussions Obama is proposing over the next year for youth leaders. That wouldn't seem too unusual, if not productive, especially for a community organizer looking to regain the youth vote in 2012. That is, until you learn the Cleveland roundtable was organized by "Campus Progress" which happens to be another progressive pet of George Soros, and his Center For American Progress. !

No one supports bullying of any kind in schools, save Leftists themselves, perhaps, who seem to have a lock on such behavior; as conservative students at the mercy of liberal educators will attest. Bullying is real and often tragic for helpless parents. But before feminists and progressive educators took hold of schools, there was a time when an emboldened parent, a strong teacher, or a moment of discreet playground justice usually did the trick.

LGBT students are arguably at risk, not just for bullying, but real feelings of adolescent anguish. Following the tragic suicides of several teens who were maliciously bullied, allegedly because of sexual orientation, the celebrity-filled "It's Gets Better" campaign was born. And, indeed, it does get better, for nearly any teen that can't yet see past the abject torture of the High School experience.

On the other hand, LGBT students have never had the kind of representation they now do in the unvetted, unconfirmed, "Safe School Czar," Kevin Jennings. And, we can hardly say Christian, Tea Party, or conservative students have the same luxury. Anyone who has followed Jenning's career knows he is likely best suited to teach Sex Education.

Among Jennings accomplishments, is the Gay Lesbian Straight Education Network to combat what he calls "heterosexism" in schools. But the homosexual education in schools isn't so much one of acceptance -- arguably already accomplished -- as forced submission to another ‘victim' narrative. And, as Jennings served as Obama's co-chair for GLBT fundraising in his Presidential campaign, it's easy to see how equal but separate Jennings and Obama consider gay constituents.

President Obama, who went from a shattered childhood at the hands of selfish parents, and bullying, radical ‘mentors,' to being elected the leader of the Free World, may be a fitting spokesman for the "It Gets Better" campaign ...so long as he doesn't try pulling it off as a campaign slogan. In the words of the chief relativist, I know what it's like "to feel like you don't belong,"

The other thing you need to know is, things will get better. And more than that, with time you're going to see that your differences are a source of pride and a source of strength. You'll look back on struggles you've faced with compassion and wisdom. And that's not just going to serve you, but it will help you get involved and make this country a better place.


It will mean that you'll be more likely to help fight discrimination - not just against LGBT Americans, but discrimination in all its forms. It means you'll be more likely to understand personally and deeply why it's so important that as adults we set an example in our own lives and that we treat everybody with respect. That we are able to see the world through other people's eyes and stand in their shoes - that we never lose sight of what binds us together.


Everyone?

Here's where it gets really interesting. Because those of us who understand over-spending, know social engineering doesn't come cheap.

Let's start by noting that the 2011 budget for the Department of Education is $77 billion dollars. The DOE budget has increased 138% since 1985 -- 57% in the last decade alone. And in case you've forgotten, education received an additional $100 billion in stimulus dollars in 2010. On top of that, Obama's "Race To The Top" grant contest was funded at over $4 billion dollars. All said, it seems like a large enough pot to ensure schools have effective teachers and administrators, all of whom can -- and should -- serve as mentors, and discipline to prevent bullying; unless there's another agenda at play, of course.

In 2010 eleven States under the Safe and Supportive School program received grants worth $38.8 million dollars to implement the "Safe and Supportive School Program," born under Bush's No Child Left Behind Act of 2001. In 2011 the Office of Safe and Drug-Free schools asked for an additional $165 million to expand the program to other States for "bullying and harassment prevention programs."

For the record, of the eleven States that received grants (2009) -- including Arizona, California, Iowa, Kansas, Louisiana, Maryland, Michigan, South Carolina, Tennessee, West Virginia, and Wisconsin -- all but one State (Louisiana) had a Democrat in the governor's mansion.

Well-intentioned though Bush's efforts to address achievement with measurable assessments under the NCLB Act may have been, no federal program, even a failing one, ever shrinks or goes away. They can be useful though. Arne Duncan's well-timed news that 82% of federal funded schools are failing under the NCLB standards the day before yesterday's Bullying Summit, was likely just that.

The Safe Schools/NCLB budget -- some ten years young -- has grown from $17.4 million at its inception to $26.8 billion in the 2012 budget projections. Despite the jump from millions to billions, claiming failure by measuring against the standards of what is itself a failing program, could mean billions more funneled to schools. And teachers, and Unions.

Yesterday Obama announced that another $132 million is budgeted for 2012 to "combat violence and the bullying of children." This budget falls again under the Safe Schools Improvement Act, amended to include "bullying and harassment prevention." But here's the rub: the dollars would require that schools receiving federal funds adopt codes of conduct specifically prohibiting bullying and harassment. Under the Safe Schools Act schools are already charged with safety, the prevention of drug and alcohol abuse, good citizenship, character, how to respond to crisis -- not to mention increasing lessons in the LGBT lifestyle.

Students may be glad for the break from actual academics, but it's an awfully tall order for schools, perhaps even impossible -- if not for more funds.

"Safe Schools," by design, are social engineering. When the federal, not State government and individual school districts, have the power to both define the bullied, and his protections, there's no end to controls and demands that can be placed on schools and student's behavior. The government dictating "safe" means someone's rights will always trump someone else's. And, the winner won't be taxpayers, or schoolchildren.

Never mind that the Leftists clamoring for social justice for ‘poor' and underperforming students, have systematically destroyed the best means to academic success, character, and ending bigotry -- the power of parents, faith, and personal responsibility and accountability.

It's nearly impossible to question the billions being funneled into failing programs and ‘well-meaning' social engineering, let alone the true motives of a Kevin Jennings, without being called a bigot. This certainly isn't the first progressive program based on that premise; certainly not the last to use bullying, in more ways than one.

After all, to progressives, any failing student is a bullied student.