School bully bill passes the Indiana Senate; melee ensues
By
John LeForest, THG News
A legislative session ended in violence Thursday after an anti-bullying bill was
passed in the Indiana Senate.
Senate Bill 231, a controversial piece of legislation designed to stop bullying
in Indiana schools passed by a margin of 38-10. If the bill makes it through the
Indiana House and becomes law, all of the state’s 293 public school districts
will have to adopt anti-bullying policies.
The bill defines bullying as “overt, repeated acts or gestures, including:
verbal or written communications transmitted; physical acts committed; or any
other behaviors committed; by a student or group of students against another
student with the intent to harass, ridicule, humiliate, intimidate, or harm the
other student.” Acts of bullying made illegal by the bill include the stealing
of lunch money, the putting of gum or boogers in a student’s hair, the knocking
of books out of a student’s hand, and/or repeated wedgies, titty-twisters, and
wet willies inflicted on a victim.
Republican Senator Tom Wyss of Fort Wayne was extremely pleased that the bill he
sponsored made it through the Senate by such a large margin. “That shows how
important an issue this is. Our schools must be a safe environment where all
students can learn without worrying about their safety.”
A few members of the Senate openly criticized Wyss about the bill, arguing that
the required education and training to school personnel concerning bullying and
each school having to establish a safe school committee will take money away
from other school programs. “We can’t afford it,” said Sen. Lindel Hume,
D-Princeton.
Others disagreed with the bill for ideological reasons. “There is nothing wrong
with a few pranks now and then—that never hurt anybody,” said Sen. Mike Young,
R-Indianapolis prior to the session. “That is part of growing up. I think ol’
Wyss should change his name to Wuss. He was probably on the receiving end of a
few knuckle sandwiches as a kid that he still thinks about.”
An hour after the session ended for the day, relations between Wyss and Young
deteriorated further. When a reporter confronted Wyss about Young’s remarks,
Wyss snapped and began screaming at Young in a Statehouse hallway, as Young was
about to leave. In response, Young cracked Wyss on top of the head with his
briefcase and drug him into a nearby restroom, where he proceeded in sticking
Wyss’ head into a toilet to give him a swirlie. Wyss, who regained consciousness
after being splashed by the cold toilet water, did not retaliate. The
confrontation ended when other senators stepped in and separated the two
Republicans.
Both senators refused to comment on the incident in attempts to interview them
afterward. It is not yet known if Senator Wyss will file charges against Senator
Young.
