There's a new groundswell of political "compassion" from the left: Bullying bills are flooding state legislatures. Proponents argue these will prevent schoolchildren being mean to one another, ostracizing each other over "sexual preference," or beating each other up for their lunch money.

On the surface, so-called bullying bills seem like a good idea. What parent wants little Johnny or Jessica bullied at school? Bullying, as everyone knows, is the job of family members, especially siblings. No, the real problem with bullying is that it is simply human nature rearing its ugly head. "I want what I want – even at your expense. I want to feel powerful, see you cry, or spend your lunch money."

The job schools and parents face is to civilize the little beasts, which means the imposition of the social behavior codes most of us learned as children and observe as adults. This is where schools are faced with a dilemma: Discipline the offending child, and you injure his or her self-esteem! And isn't forcing your view of what's right on students, well, wrong?

Their answer is to rush to the legislature and demand a law against the offending behavior. That way teachers and administrators won't have to make moral judgments about students' behaviors – they simply become little cops enforcing the law. Here's an excerpt of pending legislation:

... prohibits bullying harassment, and intimidation, based on actual or perceived race, color, religion, ancestry, national origin, sexual orientation, gender, gender identity, disability or marital status, or other individual characteristics, including, but not limited to socioeconomic status and physical appearance ... can include slurs, rumors, jokes, innuendoes, demeaning comments, drawings, cartoons, pranks, ostracism …

Bullying bills punish behavior based on the recipient's internal world view, which I can't know! Are the words, "nice haircut" when applied to a drastic change in appearance, and at which the classmate bursts into tears, bullying? How about, "Daddy told me that anyone who believes in Allah instead of Jesus is going to Hell?" Or do we focus on physical threats and intimidation: "Give me your lunch money or I'll beat you up!"

Whatever their intent, bullying bills will criminalize my words or behavior if they make you feel uncomfortable. Since I have no way of knowing what might offend you – I better shut up. It's the textbook description of a dysfunctional, abusive relationship: We only learn the "rules" when we're punished for breaking them. Bullying bills are political correctness' big brother coming home to beat the stuffing out of you, me and anyone else who disagrees with the PC lifestyle.

Leftists would like to start this training early in childhood and at school, where they have total control. Bullying bills are big leftists' little Trojan horses, dragged into the classroom where they can grow up with the children and follow them out into the workplace. "Make me uncomfortable and you go to jail."

Bullying is a rotten business. We all know from growing up. And discipline is a major problem in many schools. Teachers and school administrators may in good conscience believe they can solve the bullying problem with a new law. They can't.

Schools are reaping the harvest of decades of leftist programs that have devastated the family, marginalized the church, popularized divorce, normalized illegitimacy and subsidized single parenthood. These programs have delivered an army of undisciplined children to the schoolhouse door, to be socially potty trained. Who's been at the forefront of electing politicians and appointing the judges who have done this? The National Education Association. Now the chickens have come home to roost, and nobody likes the smell inside the coop.

Don't play the NEA and the educrats' sick game. Decades of failed leftist programs can't be swept under the legislative schoolhouse rug and protected by a bullying bill. Wrong policies have bad consequences. Repair requires that we reintroduce adults into the school system.

School boards can start by axing half their administrators, then half again – they produce nothing of value, and private schools do with far fewer. Next, fire the teachers who can't or won't do their job. Try hiring educated people without teaching credentials. Such credentials assure only that failed methods will be perpetuated.

Set high expectations. Reward results. Accept responsibility. That applies doubly to teachers and administrators who must stop crying to legislators to fix their problems – because they can't. Educrats must display some maturity, and maybe children will, too.