4A - Monday, November 7, 2011
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The Michigan Daily - michigandaily.com
Edited and managed by students at
the University of Michigan since 1890.
420 Maynard St.
Ann Arbor, MI 48109
tothedaily@michigandaily.com
MICHELLE DEWITT
STEPHANIE STEINBERG and EMILY ORLEY NICK SPAR
EDITOR IN CHIEF EDITORIAL PAGE EDITORS MANAGING EDITOR
Unsigned editorials reflect the official position of the Daily's editorial board.
All other signed articles and illustrations represent solely the views of their authors.
Imran Syed is the public editor. He can be reached at publiceditor@michigandaily.com.
FROM T I
No excuse for bullying
Bill must protect students from all attacks
B efore last week, Michigan was one of three states without an
anti-bullying law. Now, a bill passed by the Michigan Senate
B would require Michigan public schools to put anti-bullying
measures in place. However, the new bill will likely do more harm
than good because it includes a provision that prohibits restric-
tion of statements of "sincerely held religious belief(s) or moral
conviction(s)." This clause is unacceptable and could potentially
excuse certain types of bullying. The Michigan House should not
pass the bill and should instead put in place a policy that protects
students from all types of bullying.
JEFF ZUSCHLAG
E-MAIL ,JEFF AT JEFFDZ(0UMICH.EDU
The bill, which is named after Matt Epling
- a 14-year-old boy who committed suicide
after being bullied by classmates in 2002 - is
called "Matt's Safe School Law." It was passed
in a party-line vote by the state Senate on Nov.
2. Senate Republicans added the concerning
clause before the bill went to a vote, and many
people, including the father of the student
after whom the bill is named, have spoken out
strongly about the potentially negative effects
of the legislation.
The bill is especially concerning for students
in the LGBT community. Religious beliefs are
often citedas rationale behind bullying gay or
transgender students. With the proposed law,
students- could claim bullying is OK because
they are simply expressing a religious belief that
is opposed to homosexuality. But that is never an
excuse for harming another student, and a law
that justifies that defense is shameful.
The decision by the Legislature to enact an
anti-bullying law is certainly progress. There
have been multiple students who have com-
mitted suicide in Michigan in the past decade
becausetof bullying at schools. Anti-bullying
laws and policies can help to protect these stu-
dents by clearly outlining what bullying is and
how it is handled.
While bullying legislation is needed in the
state, an anti-bullying law should prohibit all
kinds of bullying and contain no legal excep-
tions or excuses. School should be a safe envi-
ronment where students learn to be tolerant
and respectful toward all students, regardless
of one's religious beliefs or moral convictions.
But the proposed bill could make it easier for
students and their parents to defend bullying.
Anti-bullying legislation should be aimed at
protecting all students from bullying in school
and teaching students who bully that target-
ing other students is not an acceptable course
of action. Like most government debates, the
anti-bullying bill came down to a partisan vote.
But bullying is not a debatable issue. It's a safe-
ty issue that should not be minimized by petty,
partisan disputes. Bullying can be extremely
harmful and dangerous, and the state Legisla-
ture needs to show a commitment to combating
it by putting aside political disagreements and
passing a comprehensive anti-bullying law.
The proposed bill began as a positive attempt
to fight bullying in Michigan, but the addi-
tion of the controversial amendment seriously
derailed the effort. There is never a moral or
religious justification for students to bully one
another, contrary to what the writers of the bill
may think. The state House needs to vote down
the bill immediately and go back to the draw-
ing board to protect Michigan students from all
types of bullying.
Mr Cain, in add tion to yor dubious *rumble* WarnigiveI.lsapproachincrtcl
pl tical qualifcations,certain question *rumble* Candidate selfdestruct sequence
about sexual harassment charges iiitd
have recently come to light. 'rumble* nialed
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run!
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FROM THE PUBLIC EDITOR|
Improving columns
I wouldn't quite support ban- on much anymore. And it's a shame will get more than 20 words into
ning the words "Democrat" because without columnists writ- that thing.
and "Republican" (or the ing creatively about local issues My basic rule is this: If your
euphemisms often interchanged for that matter to students, this page column practically writes itself
them), from Michigan Daily opinion loses what makes it special. If col- after 15 minutes of Googling, you
columns, but I'd come very close. umnists choose only to write about haven't done your job. Either you
Of several themes I've picked up the idiocy of Texas Gov. Rick Perry, picked a topic that's too easy (and
from becoming a full-time read- the hypocrisy of President Barack has therefore been written about
er of this paper for the past two Obama or the fallacy of Republican in every other paper), or you have
months, among the most disturb- rhetoric, this page is nothing more not thought enough about a topic to
ing is the trend of one-dimension- than a weak, inconsequential imita- craft a unique, illuminating view-
al columns that provide general, tion of a national newspaper. point that rises beyond tired cable
unoriginal commentary on nation- It's true that the Daily should news diatribes.
al political issues. Many opinion aspire to be like a great nation- This is a college paper, and we are
columnists seem to have either lost al newspaper - The New York all students. While writing for the
sight of, or never been advised of, Times, for example. However, Daily is not coursework, it is still an
the unique character of the Daily's what is to be valued and emulated educational experience, and opinion
editorial page - and the wealth of is the Times's strong, passion- columnists are in a better position
possibilities it provides, beyond ate editorial voice, its top-notch than any other staffer at this paper
just stale talking points gleaned reporting and its clean, straight- to try something new and grow as
from some MSNBC primetime forward writing style. The Daily writers. There are many interest-
news commentary show. should focus on improving those ing things happening in Lansing,
Since about the late 1980s the same basic tools and apply them Detroit, Ann Arbor - even on the
Daily's editorial page has had an to the topics it is best positioned Diag or North Campus - that are
unwritten policy of avoiding inter- to cover. It does no one any good, fodder for exceptional commentary.
national issues, except in very however, for the Daily to copy the If you must write about national
rare, special situations. National Times to the level of writing about politics once in a while, at least do
issues are addressed often, of precisely the same issues covered us all the service of thinking about
course, but editors are reminded in national newspapers. As well- the issue enough to find a unique or
every year that the Daily's focus informed and creative as Daily col- local ideological component.
is local, campus and state issues umnists may think they are, there Whatever you write about and
that students are unlikely to learn is no Paul Krugman here. howeveryou do it, the main purpose
about elsewhere. I do not mean to imply that Daily of a Daily columnist's work should
While that policy mainly targets columnists are incapable of writ- be to add something worthwhile
the Daily's unsigned editorials, ing interesting and noteworthy col- to the jumble of words floating in
columnists are also encouraged to umns. My point is only a bit ofadvice our general discourse. And to do
think locally. Simply put: However to columnists who I think will really so, I recommend you take the easi-
interesting the esoteric issues you improve their work: Don't stack the est path, and use the advantage you
learned about in some international deck against yourselves. have in being close to andfmost qual-
relations lecture might be, most You want to write a great col- ified to comment on local issues.
of that is not what readers of this umn? You want to show your
paper care about, or what you are friends, parents, readers and poten- -The public editor is an independent
really qualified to write about. tial employers that you are a capa- critic of the Doily, and neither the editorial
Columnists used to also be pushed ble thinker and skilled advocate? board nor the editor in chief exercise
away from writing about national That's great, but believe me, you control over the contents of his colurPns.
political issues with no local hook or aren't going to accomplish that by The opinions expressed do not necessarily
consequence. But judging by what writing yet another column bash- constitute the opinion of the Daily.
I find on the editorial page these ing the Republicans in Congress. Imran Syed can be reached at
days, apparently that isn't harped It's very unlikely that most readers publiceditor@michigandaily.com
EDITORIAL BOARD MEMBERS:
Aida Ali, Michelle DeWitt, Ashley Griesshammer, Nirbhay Jain, Patrick Maillet,
Erika Mayer, Harsha Nahata, Emily Orley, Teddy Papes, Timothy Rabb,
Vanessa Rychlinski, Caroline Syms, Seth Soderborg, Andrew Weiner
SEAN WALSER |
Learn about MForward's goals
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LETTERS TO T" [ E DITOR SEND LETTERS TO: TOTHEDAILY@MICHIGANDAILY.COM
Let GSRAs make their own
decisions on unionization
TO THE DAILY:
Graduate student research assistant Ste-
phen Raiman misinterprets what the Michi-
gan Student Assembly resolution regarding
the rights of GSRAs to form a union is all
about. (QSRA group against union asks assem-
blyfor support, 10/26/11).
The resolution does not take a position on
how GSRAs should vote inan election. Instead,
it supports holding an election and requests
that the election campaign take place in a way
that keeps GSRAs free from intimidation as
they make their choices.
We also wish to clear up confusion sowed by
Raiman's statement that GSRAs "already have
the right to form a union in which membership
is voluntary and no election is required."
This statement is incorrect. Before a union
is recognized, a large portion of the potential
bargainingunit (usually amajority) must either
formally vote to joina union or sign cards indi-
cating that they wish to form one. An election
is the process that GSRAs and the Graduate
Employees' Organization are currently nego-
Analyze the bullying issue,
andfind a suitable solution
tiating with University administrators and the
Michigan Employment Relations Commission.
Raiman also thinks that current procedures
in place provide adequate protection for GSRA
pay, benefits and other on-the-job concerns.
However, the mediation process he suggests is
available at Rackham Graduate School does not
carry the force of law that arbitration under a
collective bargaining agreement provides.
Currently, the University can unilaterally cut
pay or health-care benefits for GSRAs at any
time, whereas administrators would have to
bargain for any cuts under a union contract.
Those protections are well worth union
dues, as the recent experience of graduate
employees at the University of Wisconsin
shows. After anti-worker legislation eliminat-
ed the right to collectively bargain for health
care for public employees in the state, health-
care premiums for graduate students nearly
tripled - a cost shift that roughly equals dues
payments in itself.
Overall, we know that tens of hundreds of
GSRAs support unionization. All we ask is
that they have the freedom to vote without
interference.
Samantha Montgomery
Graduate Employees' Organization president
adult world.
In alliance with what Levy says about the
ineffectiveness of the "zero-tolerance theo-
ry," bullying is not something that can eas-
ily take on a black-and-white definition. Of
course, it is often quite obvious if bullying is
occurring or not. Yet, we must remember how
frequently bullying is seen in the adult world
(politics, sports, etc.) to which we expose
children to incessantly and often encourage
them to look up to. Also, the way in which
celebrities are employed to help prevent bul-
lying is not beneficial to the cause. Instead of
using non-expert celebrity figures we should
be using experts who actually have an edu-
cated background on this issue.
Anti-bullying legislation is a huge prog-
ress for our society. But if something is obvi-
ously not working we must take the time to
sit down and analyze why. Let's start pushing
for quality anti-bullying legislation. Bullying
is something that no one should ever have to
suffer through, especially when we have the
power to put an end to it, as we do now.
Leela Denver
LSA freshman
TO THE DAILY:
I am writing this in support of the recent
Michigan Daily article by Jeremy Levy,
(Change Anti-Bullying Attitudes, 10/25/11).
There has been much legislation in recent
years in an attempt to put an end to bullying.
Yet, this legislation does not seem to make
the powerful impact we are looking for. In
his article, Levy takes the time to logically
question the reasons why many anti-bullying
initiatives are not effective.
With an issue like this, it is easy to assume
that, because the goal is to get rid of bully-
ing, there is nothing that can be changed
and revised in order to make it more effec-
tive. But Levy lists in his article five main
arguments against anti-bullying tactics
used today. He refutes the effectiveness of
the "zero-tolerance theory," avoiding social
media, using celebrity figures to address
bullying, punishing children like adults and
forgetting how prevalent bullying is in the
In less than two weeks, the Michigan Student
Assembly will be holding its fall elections to fill college
vacancies. On Nov.16 and 17 students will have a choice
of who they want to represent them on their assembly.
They will decide who will be their voice in arbitration
with the University. Since its creation a year and a half
ago, MForward has been proud and grateful for the
opportunity to advocate on behalf of all students.
So just what is MForward? MForward is more than
just a political party - it is a mindset, a way of thinking
and an approach to addressing student problems, both
big and small, more effectively and creatively than any
student party before it. At its core, it is a diverse set of
leaders and representatives, bound together by a com-
mon goal of both aggressive and progressive policy, a
strong ideal of transparency and inclusiveness and a
foundation of advocacy for student interests.
MForward has worked hard to continually better
the relationship between individual students and the
University. Our numerous accomplishments have spo-
ken for that. We have implemented the recently ratified
MSA constitution - solidifying three distinct branch-
es and bringing greater efficiency to the structure
of MSA. In a collaborative effort with other student
organizations, we have worked toward making open
housing a reality and creating University policies that
are more accommodating and fair to transgender and
gender non-conforming students. We have also taken
our advocacy abroad and fought for student interests in
Lansing and Washington D.C. in collaboration with the
Student Association of Michigan and other organiza-
tions.
But MForward doesn't confine itself either. We work
to address every spectrum and range of student issues.
Under MForward's leadership, student organizations
have not only been able to sponsor assembly resolu-
tions, but will also see a rolling funding process that
encourages creativity and creating convenience for
student groups. Dining halls became open Saturday
nights, giving more options to cash-strapped students,
and Lupe Fiasco was brought to campus to celebrate
the 50th anniversary of the Peace Corps. Finally,
MForward members developed a new MSA website
and online petition software at no cost to students.
For this election, we have selected another fantastic
slate of candidates who we feel will adequately repre-
sent the needs and desires of students across campus
and uphold our values of ideas, action and community.
We believe these candidates will be a wonderful addi-
tion to our current representatives and executives as
we continue to enact the actions and reforms promised
in March. We've also worked diligently to identify can-
didates who represent students whose voice often goes
unheard in student government. For example, for the
first time, we will be running a School of Information
candidate since the school has not been adequately
represented on the assembly in the past.
As you see our candidates campaigning around cam-
pus in the coming weeks, I encourage you to stop them
and ask them why they are running for a position on
the assembly. Start a conversation with them regarding
what student government can do for you. Too often, stu-
dents choose not to actively engage in the activities of
their student government, and that is bad for everyone
involved. MSA and MForward grow stronger together
with the constant feedback of students across campus.
While more issues lie ahead, most importantly,
MForward sees solutions to these as well. We want
to work with campus leaders and organizations to
hear your concerns and your ideas. We want to make
sure that the innovative ideas from our students and
our candidates are acted upon and realized and that
the Michigan Student Assembly isn't a useless or inef-
fective institution. With your help and your vote this
month, MForward will continue to make the Univer-
sity of Michigan a stronger, better community.
Sean Walser is the MForward chair.
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