COLUMBUS, Ohio—The Ohio State Board of Education adopted an anti-bullying policy July 10 after deciding that it should not specifically reference students’ religion or sexual orientation.

The adopted policy does not reference ethnicity, gender, religion and sexual orientation because a majority of board members said they believed the categories were repetitive and unnecessary.

But those who wanted to keep the specific references said the vote boiled down to sensitivity over homosexuality.

“Let’s say what this is,” said Robin C. Hovis, a board member from Millersburg. “The issue is inclusion of homosexuality.”

The Ohio Legislature directed the board to create the model policy to help local school districts create their own guidelines.

Board members who prevailed said language prohibiting “threats, taunts and intimidation through words and/or gestures” was sufficient. They also said reference to sexual orientation could make some school officials uneasy.