Daily Gazette

Schenectady, New York

Thursday, September 9, 2010

By Michael Goot

CAPITAL REGION — When John Myers and Terry O’Neill handed the first draft of the “Dignity for All Students” act to a state legislator back in 1999, little did they think it would take 11 years to see the legislation become law. Gov. David Paterson signed the bill Wednesday.

The effort started when Myers, of Malta, a gay man who substitute teaches in local schools, observed students saying “that’s so gay,” or “you’re a faggot.”

“I had just seen the bullying and abuse that was going on,” he said.

California at the time had enacted legislation to deal with bullying and Myers wanted to see if New York could create something to make sure all students were treated with dignity.

He started an organization called the Coalition for Safer Schools of New York State, which was successful in getting local school districts in Ballston Spa and Saratoga Springs to change their bullying policies. Myers also formed a Capital Region chapter of the Gay Lesbian Straight Education Network.

Myers, who also works as a mechanical engineering technician at Skidmore College, then teamed up with his attorney friend O’Neill, who lives in Albany and has served as a legislative counsel. The two created the bill and handed it to the Legislature. The Assembly passed the legislation that first year, but the bill languished in the Senate, which O’Neill attributed to politics. The Assembly passed the measure in six successive years.

“There were a number of domestic initiatives that were sort of stymied during the Republican control,” O’Neill said.

The Democrats took over the chamber in 2009 and passed both houses this year.

The new law, which takes effect July 2012, gives the authority to the state education commissioner to require that school districts implement anti-bullying policies — including bullying based on sexual orientation and gender expression — and provide faculty and staff training to prevent bullying.

It is not just sexual orientation, Myers said. Students are picked on because they are too fat or too skinny.

Myers and O’Neill also credited the Empire State Pride Agency, the state’s largest gay rights advocacy group, for its support of the bill.

There were about 200 organizations involved in the lobbying including the Dignity for All Students Act Coalition, Anti-Defamation League, National Education Association and New York State United Teachers.

O’Neill is director of the Constantine Institute of Albany, which focuses on transnational crime and international terrorism, said he has an issue with anybody being denied equal protection of the law.