News-Record.com

For anyone following the mess with the anti-bullying bill, we have some dueling polls for your consideration.

First up, the folks at PPP says you, the voters, like it. From their blog:

There is currently a proposal in the General Assembly that specifies the need to protect children from bullying based on their sexual orientation. Do you think this provision should be passed into law?

Yes 72%
No 28%

North Carolinians overwhelmingly support a controversial provision in a bullying bill to specifically name sexual orientation as something children need to be protected from bullying based on.

Support for that provision comes from across party lines. 84% of Democrats are for it, as are 72% of independents, and 58% of Republicans.

But the folks at Civitas say you don't like it.

Provisions of House Bill 1366, better known as the Anti-Bullying Bill, have not enjoyed widespread popularity among North Carolina according to a May poll released by the Civitas Institute.

When asked: Do you think public schools in North Carolina should implement an anti-bullying policy that requires students be taught that homosexuality, bisexuality, cross-dressing and other behaviors are normal and acceptable? North Carolina voters responded:
Yes 24%
No 66%
Not sure 10%

The bill’s language identifies bullying or harassing as acts perceived to be motivated by race, color, religion, ancestry, national origin, gender, gender identity or expression, physical appearance, sexual orientation, or mental, physical, or sensory disabilities. The bill goes on to state that the information regarding implementation of HB 1366 will be included in every school’s employee training program, a defined description of the bullying by the school, and the official school publications, such as the student handbook.

“Obviously there is an agenda behind the bill, it seeks the power of the public school system to expose young children to lifestyles in a way that a majority of North Carolinians clearly say they are against,” concluded De Luca.

My take, both polling firms have political agendas here. PPP works for mainly liberal causes, Civitas is a conservative outfit. However, I will say Civitas's poll question seemed loaded to get the result they wanted.

At any rate, the honorables could ignore the polls and vote their consciences, right?