Anti-harassment bill introduced in Ohio

America has slipped a long way in 35 years.

School harassment was once taboo, but later it became taboo to even remember it was taboo. After some point, it didn't just go unpunished. It was also openly encouraged and normalized. The victims were even portrayed as the bad ones - and they were the ones punished.

Now a bill in Ohio would restore some sanity to that state's schools. A bill by State Sen. Sandra Williams (D-Cleveland) would let serial harassers face criminal charges - as they should. My experience was that the harassers broke numerous laws - they committed battery and theft regularly - so even if this bill passes, they'd still get off pretty easy. This bill would establish an offense of aggravated bullying, a third-degree misdemeanor, but only after 6 violations.

Despite the lenient penalties, this bill would still give Ohio some of the nation's toughest laws against school harassment.

Schools are always saying they can't prevent harassment - even though schools are where it happens the most. They refuse to take cues from organizations that have prevented it. So the law must get involved.

It's mind-boggling that it's easier for serial harassers to get a driver's license than it is for anyone else to buy a box of over-the-counter sinus medicine.