The federal government's first anti-bullying summit concluded yesterday. Modern-day bullying, it seems, is no longer the semi-amusing stuff of high-school-themed movies and sitcoms; swirlies and wedgies have given way to what Secretary of Education Arne Duncan described in his opening remarks as ?racial, sexual, or disability harassment prohibited by the civil rights laws.? Thus was Russlynn Ali, assistant secretary for the Office of Civil Rights, at the conference. She told attendants that bullying is a topic of ?great concern to us as an administration and as a country? and reminded them that her office will continue its ?proactive investigations? of school districts in order to uncover ?systemic discrimination? and ?vigorously, vigorously? attack bullying/harassment/civil rights violations. The moderator who introduced Ali said, ?There's a new sheriff in town.? To comment on this bizarrerie seems unnecessary. Suffice it to say that after listening to Ali speak one has a weirdly unconscious impulse to reread Orwell.
?Liam Julian