Harassment, intimidation and bullying (HIB) legislation revolves around preventing, reporting, investigating and responding to incidents that occur on school grounds and off school grounds under specified circumstances. Laws were adopted, in part, in response research on the incidence, prevalence and effects of HIB that has emerged since the adoption of the original HIB law in 2002. Some of the main states that specifically define HIB in their legislation include New Jersey and Washington. While controversy exists whether such HIB laws and legislation actually reduce the number of incidents or improve things like school climate and safety, the laws are here to stay and its important to understand their implications. It is becoming an important reality that schools must follow such laws or face ...
Continue Reading
Seth’s Law (AB 9) aims at strengthening existing state anti-bullying laws to help protect California public school students. Like many other state legislation enactments, Seth’s Law requires public schools in California to update their anti-bullying policies and programs. The law focuses on protecting students who are bullied based on who they are. Their sexual orientation, gender identity as well as race, ethnicity, nationality, disability, and religion among others. Background of Seth’s Law Seth’s Law was named after Seth, a 13-year-old California student that tragically took his own life in 2010 after years of persistent anti-gay bullying. The bill was first filed with the Secretary of State in 2011 and has been accepted and amended several times since. Discrimination Policy for ...
Continue Reading
Much like other states across the country, Ohio’s public schools must enact policies that prohibit student harassment, intimidation and bullying (HIB). The law defines “harassment, intimidation and bullying” to be any intentional written, verbal, electronic or physical act that one student has taken against another student more than one time. The action must have resulted in either physical or mental harm. The bullying must also be sufficiently severe, persistent or pervasive. The law’s aim is to protect children and prevent an environment that is threatening, intimidating or abusive for the victim. State Senator Sandra Williams of Cleveland wants to take Ohio’s anti-bullying laws farther. She has introduced Senate Bills 196 and 197, which create an “aggravated bullying charge for juveniles.” She’s sending a ...
Continue Reading
Several state laws in Mississippi prohibit bullying or harassing behavior in Mississippi public schools. SB 2015, passed in the regular session of 2010, addresses bullying by identifying it and requiring schools to define policies against bullying and harassment. A more recent bill, Senate House Bill #263 aims to further strengthen anti-bullying measures. The overall goal of the bill is to put in place mandatory training for school staff on bullying and suicide prevention and ensure proper reporting procedures are in place. Legislatures wish to decrease the rate of suicide in youth and across the state of Mississippi which many professionals attribute to bullying and harassment within public schools. The CDC put out a report on its research on the link between bullying and suicide. ...
Continue Reading
Online, anonymous bullying reporting which can be done from the safety of a student’s home gives bullied kids a real chance to speak out against their tormentors without fear of their tormentors seeing them come forward and without having to discuss an unbearable situation with adults they may or may not feel comfortable confiding in. Bullying affects the lives of millions of students, and child and teen bullying are at an all time high. If bullied kids weren’t afraid to get help in person, anonymous reporting wouldn’t be necessary, but the truth is that bullied kids are afraid – afraid to speak out and afraid to get the help they need. In-Person Reporting Alone Is Insufficient Despite students being able ...
Continue Reading
