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Natalie Moore alleges teachers and administrators at both HSE Junior High and HSE High School ignored reports that her son, Jamarcus Bell, suffered racially-based bullying and harassment for "perceived homosexuality and emotional disability."This lawsuit should force the school district into creating ways to prevent bullying. This could have turned out differently if the teachers were more concerned about the students' safety.
According to the lawsuit, filed Nov. 21 in the U.S. District Court in Indianapolis, the African-American student was the victim of "constant and ruthless harassment and bullying from other students" who allegedly threw pieces of metal at him during a welding class, stole his shoes, his clothing, had his book bag dumped and was physically assaulted in hallways and classrooms.
Bell, who had survived an earlier attempt to hang himself at school in a janitor's closet at the junior high, ultimately ended his own life on Oct. 20, 2010, at his mother's home during fall break.
The lawsuit hinges on what Moore 's lawyers -- Delk McNally, LLP of Muncie -- say was the inaction of school officials to respond to the bullying that was taking place in the months leading up to the suicide.
If the General Assembly passes the measure again in 2013 or 2014, it would go to the voters in 2014, before the state constitution can be amended.This is ridic! Protection for the family unit? How? How, does ban gay marriage protect the family? If they can prove that to be true... Oh, they can't!
The Indiana House already approved the measure.
Democratic Sen. Tim Lanane of Anderson argued that attitudes toward same-sex marriages are rapidly changing and the amendment would make it difficult for future changes in state law.
Current state law prohibits gay marriages. Amendment sponsor Sen. Dennis Kruse of Auburn says the measure would provide maximum protection for the basic family unit of society.
The Senate Judiciary Committee voted 7-3 Wednesday to pass a resolution amending Indiana’s Constitution to ban gay marriage.
The resolution now goes to the full Senate, where it has passed five times in the past.Indiana, get with the times and get it together
The vote was along party lines, with Democrats against.
Indiana state law already limits marriage to between one man and one woman, but supporters want the language inserted into the state Constitution so judges can’t overturn the law in the future.
The proposed language specifically says “only a marriage between one man and one woman shall be valid or recognized as a marriage in Indiana. A legal status identical or substantially similar to that of marriage for unmarried individuals shall not be valid or recognized.”
The second sentence effectively would ban legislators from enacting civil unions in the future.
If the resolution passes the Senate again, no other action is necessary this session because it already passed the House.
The General Assembly would need to approve the measure again in 2013 or 2014 before reaching a statewide ballot for Hoosiers to make the final decision in 2014.
Now that a marriage discrimination amendment has passed the Indiana House of Representatives, apparently it's time to put out the same call I made in 2007 that helped to kill attempts to amend the constitution until now. Last time we found out that Senator Brandt Hershman, one of the sponsors of the amendment and right-to-life darling, had forced his wife to have an abortion in 1997 before he filed for divorce one week later. I also found an anti-gay legislator who was shtupping a male hairdresser while his wife died of a long-term illness.
Consider this a call to gossip. I want to know the scoop. Tell me the stories that will embarrass those conservative bigots - Democrats and Republican - that are backing a constitutional ban on our formalized relationships. Send me gossip about who's a philanderer, a kink fiend, a drug addict, a porn addict, or had a divorce, an abortion or even a stay in rehab. Ask your friends and family for the dirt. Look it up on the internet. Sniff out a lead and send it my way.
The vote took place after a debate that, at less than 30 minutes, was much shorter than contentious issues often command in the House.This vote could set things up in 2014, where the voters may have the last word.
“The basic unit of society is the family, and the cornerstone of the family is marriage. Marriage is, and should be, the union of one man and one woman,” said the gay marriage ban’s author, Rep. Eric Turner, R-Marion.
Rep. Mary Ann Sullivan, D-Indianapolis, called the ban “a blow that hurts thousands across this great state, and taints our constitution with the language of hate,” and said she has friends and neighbors who are “deeply, deeply hurt by this legislation.”
Since the vote was originally scheduled for Monday, Sullivan said she had written her comments in the form of a valentine.
She said passing such a ban “removes talented people from classrooms and business, weakens the arts, our culture and progress, makes all of our cities less vibrant and diverse – the kinds of conditions that make economies worse.”
But Rep. Ralph Foley, R-Martinsville, said the ban would have no effect on Hoosiers’ ability to live with and love whomever they choose.
“That loving friendship is a different relationship than a husband and wife, and we should recognize that in the law,” he said.
A vote in the Indiana House on a constitutional amendment banning same-sex marriage has been delayed for at least a day.
Resolution sponsor Rep. Eric Turner of Marion said he wouldn't call it for a vote on Monday because some House members who want to support it were absent for the day. He didn't specify when he expected a vote.
Political analysts expect that the ban is almost certain to pass, with Republicans in control of the Legislature. The amendment states that only marriage between one man and one woman is valid inIndiana , and prohibits civil unions by stating that a legal status "substantially similar" to marriage for unmarried people is not valid.
Opponents have argued that the amendment isn't needed because Indiana law already bans gaymarriage , but supporters said they are concerned that the courts could overturn that law.Supporters also contend that traditional heterosexual marriage is best for raising children. Opponents said the amendment seeks to write discrimination into the state's constitution.
Attorneys for the state will ask a federal appeals court today to let Arizona stop providing insurance benefits for the partners of gay workers.Trying to keep y'all informed.
Assistant Attorney General Charles Grube contends U.S. District Judge John Sedwick was wrong to issue an injunction last year barring the state from altering its benefits package.
That ruling requires Arizona to keep funding the coverage until there is a final ruling, which could take years.
State lawmakers voted to end the benefits to save money.
Grube said that before issuing an injunction, Sedwick was required to consider not only the claims of harm to the people losing benefits, but the harm to the state by being required to maintain them. But Grube said Sedwick was "explicitly dismissive" of evidence presented by the state about the cost burden on taxpayers of continuing to provide coverage.
Conversely, Grube said Sedwick gave too much credibility to what he said are little more than unproven allegations by those challenging the law.
Arizona provides benefits to the dependents of its state and university employees. But before 2008, that didn't include domestic partners of unmarried workers.
Sigma Phi Beta, founded at Arizona State University, is poised to expand to Indiana University, where the fraternity’s first new members at another college will be inducted over the weekend. Indiana University "is home of the oldest and largest college fraternity
system," notes a Sigma Phi Beta press release from Nov. 10.
"Fifteen students at IU, which is home of the oldest and largest college fraternity system, will cross over into the Brotherhood of Sigma Phi Beta Fraternity Saturday if they successfully complete the organization’s initiation
ceremony," the release says.
"I look forward to welcoming the new members from the Indiana University
colony into our Brotherhood," Sigma Phi Beta national president Nathan Arrowsmith said. Arrowsmith will be present on the IU campus for the initiation of the new members on Nov. 13.
"The initiation of members at its first colony outside of Arizona is an important milestone for the fraternity, which prioritizes the core values of diversity, service, scholarship, leadership, and brotherhood," the release adds.
"Sigma Phi Beta Fraternity is organized for and by gay, straight, bisexual, and transgender men in college," text at the fraternity’s web site says. "We create a unique social and educational environment for our members within the traditional Greek fraternity system, while providing all open-minded men in college with career and character building opportunities." Adds the site’s text, "We embrace tradition while promoting positive change that moves us forward."
