Here is a link to New Jersey's anti-bullying law.  They claim that about 32% of school kids were bullied during the previous year and that about 25% of schools reported bullying as a problem.  

They also say "In 2010, the chronic persistence of school bullying has led to 26  student suicides across the country, including in New Jersey;"  (the US switched from oral polio vaccine to injectable because of death rates of less than 10, as a comparison)

The law goes on "It is the intent of the Legislature in enacting this legislation 12  to strengthen the standards and procedures for preventing,  reporting, investigating, and responding to incidents of harassment,  intimidation, and bullying of students that occur in school and off  school premises;"

The instruction in suicide 7  prevention shall include information on the relationship between the 8  risk of suicide and incidents of harassment, intimidation, and 9  bullying and information on reducing the risk of suicide in students 10  who are members of communities identified as having members at 11  high risk of suicide.It also requires teachers to attend suicide prevention training: 

Two times each school 17  year, between September 1 and January 1 and between January 1 and June 30118  , at a public hearing, the superintendent of schools 19  shall r
41  "Electronic communication" means a communication transmitted 42  by means of an electronic device, including, but not limited to, a 43  telephone, cellular phone, computer, or pager; 44  "Harassment, intimidation or bullying" means any gesture, any written, verbal or physical act, or any electronic communication 145  , whether it be a single incident or a series of incidents,146   that   is 47  reasonably perceived as being motivated either by any actual or 48  perceived characteristic, such as race, color, religion, ancestry, A3466 [1R] 10 1  national origin, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity and 2  expression, or a mental, physical or sensory  [handicap] disability,  3  or by any other distinguishing characteristic, that takes place on school property,  at   any  school-sponsored  funct ion 1[or]  ,14  on a school bus 15  , or off school grounds as provided for in section 16 of 6  P.L.    , c.   (C.    ) (pending before the Legislature as this bill), that 7  subst ant  ially disrupt  s or  int erferes with  the orderly operat  ion of  the school or the rights of other students18  and that:eport to the board of education all acts of violence  [and]  ,20  vandalism, and harassment, intimidation, or bullying which occurred during the previous  [school year]121  [semester] reporting period122  .  

IMO, what the New Jersey teacher has posted does include harassment, intimidation and bullying, especially as there are reports she has made similar comments in class. 

It goes on to discuss electronic communication:"Electronic communication" means a communication transmitted 42  by means of an electronic device, including, but not limited to, a 43  telephone, cellular phone, computer, or pager; 44  "Harassment, intimidation or bullying" means any gesture, any written, verbal or physical act, or any electronic communication 145  , whether it be a single incident or a series of incidents,146   that   is 47  reasonably perceived as being motivated either by any actual or 48  perceived characteristic, such as race, color, religion, ancestry, A3466 [1R] 10 1  national origin, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity and 2  expression, or a mental, physical or sensory  [handicap] disability,  3  or by any other distinguishing characteristic, that takes place on school property,  at   any  school-sponsored  funct ion 1[or]  ,14  on a school bus 15  , or off school grounds as provided for in section 16 of 6  P.L.    , c.   (C.    ) (pending before the Legislature as this bill), that 7  subst ant  ially disrupt  s or  int erferes with  the orderly operat  ion of  the school or the rights of other students18  and that: 9  a. a reasonable person should know, under the circumstances, 10  will have the effect of physically or emotionally harming a student 11  or damaging the student's property, or placing a student in 12  reasonable fear of physical or emotional harm to his person or 13  damage to his property; [or]14  b. has the effect of insulting or demeaning any student or group of students 115  [in such a way as to cause [substantial] disruption in, 16  or  [substantial] interference with, the orderly operation of the school]1;1or1 17  c. creates a hostile1educational1 environment1[at school]118  for the student119  [

Oct 22, 2011 -- 1:06PM, mytmouse57 wrote:

Oct 22, 2011 -- 10:52AM, REteach wrote:

How many other "eternal victims" are not allowed federal marriage benefits? How many other "eternal victims" get sent to fake senior proms? How many other "eternal victims" were getting kicked out of the military for no other reason than because of who they were? How many other "eternal victims" are the butt of religious conservative politicians trying to limit their civil rights.  

Feh. 

There is none so blind as they who will not see.

I find your patronizing attitude very insulting to some of the fine people I've known her were openly gay. They were able to strive and hope for those things without feeling constatly helpless, and like somebody needed to swoop and and "save" them.

Are you suggesting that you have any idea what their lives have been like, what bigotry and abuse they may have had to deal with while attempting to accomplish what they have? And yet, you accuse REteach of being patronizing...

Oct 22, 2011 -- 3:04PM, DotNotInOz wrote:

 

Are you suggesting that you have any idea what their lives have been like, what bigotry and abuse they may have had to deal with while attempting to accomplish what they have? And yet, you accuse REteach of being patronizing...

It also appears some, do not know the definition of patronizing, either.

But think about it, The people being attacked and insulted, on these boards are the people who actually care about other people. As is usual

Oct 22, 2011 -- 3:48PM, appy20 wrote:

Oct 22, 2011 -- 3:38PM, mainecaptain wrote:

Oct 22, 2011 -- 3:04PM, DotNotInOz wrote:

 

Are you suggesting that you have any idea what their lives have been like, what bigotry and abuse they may have had to deal with while attempting to accomplish what they have? And yet, you accuse REteach of being patronizing...

It also appears some, do not know the definition of patronizing, either.

 

But think about it, The people being attacked and insulted, on these boards are the people who actually care about other people. As is usual

Pity is not caring.  Pity is a form of contempt. You can support gay's rights without pitying gay people.  

Exactly!

Thank you.

Oct 22, 2011 -- 3:29PM, appy20 wrote:

I cannot support punishing other people for having the right to free speech.  Punished speech creates silence. 

Exactly. That's the whole idea. We want the bigots to be silent.