The White House announced on Friday evening that the president will endorse both the SSIA and SNDA, which are currently up for debate in congress, and which the Republicans are naturally opposed to.
The White House today announced that President Obama is endorsing the Safe Schools Improvement Act (SSIA) and Student Non-Discrimination Act (SNDA), two bills pending in Congress to address bullying and discrimination faced by students across the nation.
White House spokesman Shin Inouye tells Metro Weekly, "The President and his Administration have taken many steps to address the issue of bullying. He is proud to support the Student Non-Discrimination Act, introduced by Senator Franken and Congressman Polis, and the Safe Schools Improvement Act, introduced by Senator Casey and Congresswoman Linda Sanchez. These bills will help ensure that all students are safe and healthy and can learn in environments free from discrimination, bullying and harassment."
The SSIA would amend the Safe and Drug-Free Schools and Communities Act to include bullying- and harassment-prevention programs, including ones based on sexual orientation or gender identity. The SNDA, modeled after Title IX, would add sexual orientation and gender identity to federal education nondiscrimination law.
I don't want to snark at a subject such as this, as tempting as it may be, but I will hastily point out that this administration continues to clearly demonstrate their support for the LGBT community. Something which the other side is not guilty of doing. Because both sides aren't the same. And despite mounting evidence, the idea that the president secretly opposes gay rights persists among the liberal blogosphere.
By the way, this is the same Student Non-Discrimination Act which Republican senate candidate Heather Wilson recently decried because it would infringe on the rights of bullies. Because their ability to drive fellow children to suicide needs to be protected.