Civil rights advocates and some educators say Maine schools could see an increase in harassment, bullying and violence if the state’s gay marriage bill fails to pass.

“What I’m worried about is turning the clock back on students,” said Stephen Wessler, executive director of the Center for the Prevention of Hate Violence in Portland.

Wessler toured the state with teachers Tuesday to talk about the bill that would legalize same-sex marriage in Maine. They believe the bill’s failure would tell young people that it’s OK to discriminate.

“I see it as being a kind of green light for students who have some prejudice or bias, that the Legislature feels the same way,” said Jessica White, a social studies and English teacher at Oak Hill High School in Wales.

For more than a decade, Maine schools have worked to reduce bullying and harassment, largely through greater teacher training and by encouraging students to speak up for their classmates. School clubs that promote tolerance and respect, including civil rights teams and gay/straight alliances, have become increasingly popular with students.

Joan Macri, who taught at Lewiston High School for 24 years and led that school’s civil rights team, remembers when gay students didn’t tell anyone they were gay for fear of being taunted, harassed or assaulted in school. When she retired from Lewiston last year to help direct LearningWorks, she said, gay couples felt safe enough to openly attend proms.

“These gains are so hard fought,” Macri said.

If the marriage bill fails, she believes some of that old prejudice and fear will return.

Wessler said he’s spoken with young people who are gay or whose parents are. Some have talked about moving away if the state doesn’t allow same-sex marriage.

“It says to them ‘For all your dreams of your future, this is a place that says you’re second class,'” Wessler said.

He’s also afraid a small number of young people will take the bill’s failure even more personally, perhaps going as far as to commit suicide.

“I think some of those students are going to react with hopelessness and despair,” he said.

On April 27, Wessler’s Center for the Prevention of Hate Violence will release a report containing excerpts from the 70 interviews it did with young people and their families.

Wessler also plans to speak in favor of the bill during its public hearing on April 24 at Cony High School in Augusta.

Four states have legalized same-sex marriage, including Massachusetts, Connecticut and, last week, Iowa. On Tuesday, Vermont became the fourth when its Legislature voted to override Gov. Jim Douglas’ veto of a bill allowing same-sex marriage.

A California Supreme Court ruling allowed same-sex marriage last May, but voters in November approved a proposition that restricted marriage to a man and a woman.

Maine law now provides some domestic partnership rights for unmarried couples, including both homosexual and heterosexual couples.