High School Gay Bashing Caught on Video. Bully Got Off with a 3 Day Suspension.

[NKAJ]

sapphi_snake said:

kowenicki said:

sapphi_snake said:

kowenicki said:

what happens in this state if you bully someone for some other reason other than sexual orientation? 

Obviously you'd get more than a 3 day suspension. It was premeditated violent assault after all.

You know this for a fact?

if true then clearly this punishment is riduculous.

However, if this is in line with other bullying punishments at this school then the fact that it is gay bullying doesnt make it worse than say race bullying or bullying someone because they have a big nose. 

Bullying is just as horrendous for the victim regardless of the motive.

This punishment is ridiculous regardless, considering that the bully commited a criminal offence (physical assault), and also a hate crime (he assaulted the victim for being gay). Bullying is too broad of a term as just teasing isn't illegal and it woudl be pretty hard to punish that. However, if you don't properly punish bullies when they commit actual violent criminal acts, then how do you expect to stop bullying?

I'm intruiged, what constitues a hate crime? Surely the boy could have been picked on for an infinite list of reasons but when does this become a hate crime?