May 2014
After 12 hours of debate the House passed HF 826 by a vote of 69 to 63. Two Democrats, Rep. David Dill and Gene Pelowski, crossed party lines and joined with the Republicans in voting against the Bullying Bill. Consistent with last week’s vote in the Senate, the vote in the House demonstrated bi-partisan opposition rather than bi-partisan support for this legislation. As we have seen with the federal healthcare law, ramming through far reaching and controversial laws without support from both parties results in disastrous long-term consequences. The bill will be signed by Governor Dayton.
We are extremely proud of the courageous and tireless effort from so many House members who spoke eloquently and forcefully against this horrendous bill. They held nothing back!
Members who voted yes on the bill did so after seeing actual samples of the unconscionable curriculum that this bill will require for implementation but they refused to acknowledge that it was a part of the prevention “strategies” outlined in the Governor’s Task Force on the Prevention of Bullying. They were shown a reprehensible book list by a leading organization in anti-bullying curriculum which included books for 7th grade students with titles such as Queer 13, Growing up Gay/Growing up Lesbian, and Love and Sex Ten Stories of Truth. What is even more reprehensible is the blatant disregard for the well-being of children by those House members who ignored all evidence and voted in defiance of 12 hours of compelling, persuasive arguments from the Republican minority!
House members who voted yes on HF 826 did so with full knowledge of the dangers to children, the violation of parents’ rights, and the usurpation of the independent school district. One after one, opponents of the bill stood up and clearly stated what has become evident as we talked to the people of Minnesota. They do NOT want this bill. School officials, parents, local leaders, church leaders told us time after time that this bill is a threat to children, families and local schools. House members echoed this same message in speech after speech but, compelling as it was, it fell on deaf ears.