The Golden Rule Act: Or, Will David Williams take Jesus out of the schools?

If conservatives want to find out who is "taking God out of the schools" they need to look no further than Senate President David Williams.

Williams is comfortable enough pandering to the fundamentalist crowd by supporting Ten Commandments legislation every chance he gets. But what explanation might he provide for removing the central teachings of Jesus from the Anti-Bullying bill currently in conference committee.

Mike Cherry's version of House Bill 91 contained this language:

"...amend KRS 158.148 to require school districts to formulate a code of acceptable behavior and discipline that embraces the Golden Rule as the model for improving attitude and the rule for conduct for students..."

David Williams removed that language. Why? What could Williams possibly find objectionable with the "greatest commandment?" The public deserves an explanation.

This from PolWatchers:

Lawmakers seek compromise on anti-bullying bill

Lawmakers negotiating the details of a bill aimed at curbing schoolhouse bullying said they hit no "major snags" on Monday.

The House-Senate conference committee on the "bullying" bill, House Bill 91, met for about 45 minutes Monday afternoon in closed conference. Afterwards, Rep. Mike Cherry, D-Princeton, the bill's sponsor, said "things went well."

"My side presented a compromise piece of legislation that I think was favorably received," Cherry said. He would not go into specifics and would not provide a copy of his proposal. He described it as a blending of the House and Senate versions, "using the Senate as the text."

Cherry's original version, "The Golden Rule Act," would require schools to write codes of conduct that prohibit "harassment, intimidation, or bullying." He added a floor amendment in the House to include "cyberbullying" by electronic communication.

A separate Senate version of the bill had been stalled in committee and Senate Democrats tried repeatedly and unsuccessfully to spring it with a discharge petition.

Instead, Senate President David Williams, R-Burkesville, amended Cherry's version to "put some teeth into it." Schools would be required to report bullying to law enforcement, and would be required to issue a monthly report on all incidents.

Cherry sounded optimistic a compromise finally can be reached. "I don't even see any major snags at this point," Cherry said. "We think the reporting requirement of their side is a little harsh, and monthly reporting is a little much." ...