Michigan Senate Passes Revised Bill Requiring All State Public School To Adopt Anti-Bullying Policy, Students And Viewers Condemn Fox Affiliate Ambush Attack Of Teacher Who Previously Acted In Gay Porn, Fresno State To Share Collection Of Gay Literature With Area Schools, Italian Soccer Association President Advises Any And All Gay Players To Remain Closeted Because Of “Intimacy Of Naked Bodies,” The Hotness Of South African Rugby Players

The state Senate overwhelmingly approved Tuesday morning a measure to require all Michigan school districts to enact an anti-bullying policy. The Senate moved quickly to adopt a House version of the legislation on a vote of 35-2, after its own earlier anti-bullying bill attracted national attention for its inclusion of language providing a so-called religious exemption, according to The Detroit Free Press. The legislation, now on its way to Governor Rick Snyder, requires districts to enact a policy but does not proscribe specific behaviour. Amendments to require policies to enumerate protected categories (for example gender, sexual orientation etc.) and to extend anti-bullying measures to cyberspace were rejected. Advocates had long sought a state-wide anti-bullying policy, citing Michigan's status as one of only three states in the country without such a policy. One of those advocates, state Senator Glenn Anderson (D-Westland) ultimately voted against the anti-bullying bill which he said failed to offer enough protections for those truly victimized by bullying.

An update on a previous post, students at a top-rated Massachusetts public high school are blasting WFXT and investigative reporter Mike Beaudet for confronting a teacher about his apparent porn star past. MediaBistro.com reports that in a story that first aired during the Fox O&O’s 6 pm newscast on Tuesday, Beaudet confronted Kevin Hogan, an English teacher and crew coach at Mystic Valley Regional Charter School, about his alleged appearances in at least three gay porn videos. After being ambushed by Beaudet in a parking lot, Hogan told the reporter that he didn’t know what he was talking about (video at the source). Mystic Valley has placed Hogan, who chairs the school’s English department, on paid leave as it looks into WFXT’s allegations. Since the story first aired, Beaudet and WFXT have been heavily criticized by students at the school, who have banded together in support of Hogan. On Twitter, Beaudet asked Mystic Valley students for their response to his story. One student tweeted back, “I think you blew this story way out of proportion and single handedly destroyed a man’s life.” Another student tweeted at Beaudet, “Hogan is the best thing that has happened to my crew team. Students now have more respect for him due to what you did #thanks” Another posted, “It’s not like he was doing anything illegal. he shouldn’t get fired.” And one young man seemed to sum up the general reaction from the Mystic Valley student body, tweeting, “My English teacher is a gay pornstar. #ndb” A petition in support of Hogan, who joined Mystic Valley in August, is now reportedly being circulated at the school. And while a handful of parents Beaudet spoke to for his story voiced concern about a teacher having a pornographic past, an overwhelming majority of viewers believe WFXT went too far.

As California Valley school districts cautiously prepare to incorporate lessons about gay and lesbian people's contributions into social studies classes, Fresno State is offering a resource to help – the nation's largest collection of gay and lesbian literature. The Fresno Bee reports that California State University, Fresno, received donations of about 500 gay- and lesbian-themed books months before a state law passed in July that requires schools to include the role and contributions of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender Americans in social studies courses. The timing was coincidental. The donors, two literary enthusiasts in the Midwest, wanted to share their collections with students and professors, and last fall and winter gave them to Fresno State's Arne Nixon Center for youth and children's literature. One of the donors is an Arne Nixon Center board member. Fresno State is eager to share the collection with Valley high schools, and preparations are under way to create a traveling book exhibition that would be accompanied by experts to speak about gay and lesbian rights and homophobia, said Angelica Carpenter, founding curator at the Arne Nixon Center. She said the center still needs to raise about $10,000 for the project, slated to start in the spring. Teachers could use the books for research on gay-rights leaders, to better understand gay students' struggles and to generate class discussions, according to several Arne Nixon Center staff and Fresno State education professors. The collection started with a gift from Michael Cart, an Arne Nixon Center board member and former director of the Beverly Hills Public Library. Cart, who now lives in Indiana, said there is a shortage of gay- and lesbian-themed books and hopes his donation will give more people access to the literature. Cart's donation inspired a gift from Kathleen T. Horning, an expert on gay and lesbian literature at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. Books include the story of Harvey Milk, San Francisco's first openly gay city official; an overview of the history of the struggle for gay equality in America; and coming-out narratives from gay youth. Carpenter said she has received pledges for more donations, and the collection continues to grow. Hoover High School's Gay Straight Alliance would "jump at the chance" to have the traveling book exhibition stop at the school, said club President Jonah Bassman. The books could help students understand the struggles gay youths face and encourage tolerance, Bassman said. "I think it would be a great idea," he said. "If it makes a difference about one person getting bullied ... then it's worth it." How – or if – local schools would open their doors to the book collection remains to be seen. Fresno Unified School District has formed a committee to plan how schools will teach gay and lesbian history, but spokesperson Susan Bedi declined to offer details. She did not respond to questions about whether Fresno Unified would allow the traveling book exhibit at district high schools. Clovis Unified School District spokeswoman Kelly Avants said the district was unaware of the collection. She added it was too early to comment on whether or how the district might use it.

Homosexuality is still off-limits in the Italian soccer world and any closeted players would be advised not to come out, according to the head of the Italian Footballers Association. "Homosexuality in soccer is still a taboo and coming out is not advisable," ex-Roma and Italy midfielder Damiano Tommasi told Web TV show KlausCondicio Tuesday, according to ANST.IT. Tommasi argued that sharing a locker room, “with the intimacy of naked bodies," made revealing one's sexual identity even harder than in other walks of life. "Expressing one's sexual preference is hard in all fields but it's more so for a soccer player," he said. "In a sport where you take your clothes off, it could cause added problems with getting along.” Coming out, too, "should be discouraged," Tommasi said, "not out of fear but to be able to live in a civilised way, without being bothered.” The AIC chief added that he had "never personally met any gay soccer players, but I may have bumped into some without knowing they were gay.” Italy has never had an openly gay soccer player, unlike other countries like England. But the subject has been raised by the media periodically. Two years ago, then Italy coach Marcello Lippi said any gay relationships among the Azzurri would have to stay in the closet even though public opinion might accept it. ''Two members of the national team could not have an open relationship at the moment,'' Lippi said, also speaking to KlausCondicio, arguing that the couple would come under too much pressure from the media. “Italy is the only country in the world with four sports dailies, not to mention the space the normal press gives soccer. To fill them up and feed the TV soccer shows at all hours all over the country, topics are hyped up. Just imagine how a subject like a homosexual couple would be treated.” Earlier in 2009, Lippi told the same show he believed there weren't any gays among Italian soccer players. But he said some players might have "tendencies" they were forced to hide because of the macho locker-room culture.

Like beefy, burly athletic young men? Look no further that a pictorial spread of smoking sexy shirtless Vodacom Bulls rugby team training.