May 6, 2010 — vol. 45, no 39
News Notes
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Mass. Gov. to sign sweeping anti-bullying bill Gov. Deval Patrick is poised to sign a bill cracking down on school bullies and requiring teachers to report bullying incidents to principals. The bill was prompted by the recent suicides of two students said to be the victims of intense harassment. Sirdeaner Walker is planning to be on hand for the bill signing. Walker is the mother of 11-year-old Carl Walker-Hoover who hanged himself in his family’s Springfield home last year. Walker said her son had been tormented by classmates. In January, 15-year-old Phoebe Prince killed herself after allegedly being bullied at South Hadley High School. A group of her classmates have pleaded not guilty in connection with her death. The bill prohibits bullying on school property and outlaws cyber-bullying through e-mail or social media networks.
Massachusetts House lawmakers have approved a proposal to charge prison inmates $5 a day. The new fee was quickly pushed through on a 106-51 vote by House lawmakers last week during their ongoing budget debate. The House decided to take up the issue again on Friday. After a lengthy debate, lawmakers again voted in favor of the fee by a 93-62 margin. Supporters of the proposal say it is one way to help ease Massachusetts’ financial burden at a time when the state is being forced to make deep budget cuts to services. Opponents of the plan say it shortsighted. They say it will make it harder for prisoners to get a foothold in society when they are released and could drive them back to a life of crime. |
Holder to deliver Boston U commencement address U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder is scheduled to deliver the commencement address at Boston University's graduation ceremonies. Holder will speak first at BU School of Law’s convocation at on May 16, followed by the commencement when he will receive an honorary Doctor of Laws degree. The university is scheduled to hand out more than 5,000 degrees. BU President Robert Brown also announced Friday that Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright Edward Albee; Presidential Medal of Freedom winner and civil rights defender William Coleman Jr.; and Nobel Prize-winning chemist Osamu Shimomura are among those scheduled to earn honorary degrees.
A lawsuit challenging the constitutionality of a federal law that defines marriage as a union between a man and a woman is slated for its first court hearing. Gay couples say the Defense of Marriage Act denies them access to federal benefits given to other married couples. A federal judge in Boston will hear arguments Thursday on the government’s motion to dismiss the lawsuit and the same-sex couples' request to rule in their favor without a trial. Gay & Lesbian Advocates & Defenders sued on behalf of seven same-sex couples and three widowers who were married after Massachusetts became the first state to legalize gay marriage in 2004. The Justice Department makes it clear in court documents that the Obama administration thinks the law should be repealed, but the department says it’s obligated to defend federal laws.
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| May 10 17:25pm by CDG [65.207.180.147] | |
$5 a day assessment on prisoners? The system alreadys puts unrealistic expectations on these kids once they get caught up in the system. Politicians love to talk about ending gangs in the streets. What about ending state run & funded gangs posing as institutes of rehabilitation? Both run the same way - once in - it's almost impossible to get out. The prisons try to keep you as a prisoner for life. Please tell me how one can pay a $5 fee per day/restitution when the CORI system blocks them from getting a decent job when they get out? So then that puts another burden on the families, as if they haven't gone through enough. Either the family assumes the responsibility to pay these fees until the EX-prisoner finds employment, or they sit back & watch them go back into the system. What is the charge? Probation violation for not paying fees. It's amazing how the powers that be can get on one accord and pass a bill like this but can't agree long enough to actually pass a bill that helps the people & the community once this so called rehabilitation has taken place. These kids just don't realize - the judge may assign them 1 year jail time - but they will ultimately be serving a life sentence. |
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| May 6 13:59pm by A parent [99.224.99.6] | |
The biggest problem to date about bullying has been the lack of action by school staff and administration. As Mrs. Walker stated she went to the school often and begged them to do something. The bulling of P Prince was obvious to everyone including staff and students. On top of that the school was informed by both the mother, the aunt and the student herself. Nothing was done, it was all ignored and that seems to be the most common thread in all of the insidents. Complete lack of action.... What can a victim possible do when the bullies, stronger, more powerful, more members can do it and the staff approves and encourages by their silence? The fact that the school system even needs a bill to do anything is scary in itself. Where is the caring, the honesty, the leadership and the requirements of the job? I am worried that the teachers are required to report this to the principal but what is he required to do? Parents have reported many many bullying situation to the principals and it was simply ignored and then most lie and say there were not aware of it. Will they now say that the teachers didn't report it. I think the teachers on the front line in the classrooms should stop it immediately and also report it. I think the form should be done in duplicate, one for the principal and one going somewhere independent. I am afraid they will just get around this new bill, both the bullies and the staff. |
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