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New York Lawmakers Agree: Bullying is Bad, Bill Sent to Governor
Filed under: In The News, Bullying
New York could be the latest state to pass anti-bullying legislation. Credit: Getty Images
After nearly 10 years of debating the subject, New York lawmakers agree that bullying is a bad thing.
They sent the anti-bullying Dignity for All Students Act to Gov. David A. Paterson for his signature on June 22, which basically declares New York's public schools bully-free zones and creates educational programs designed to prevent bullying.
Will the bullies themselves honor the state's commitment to the rights of their victims? Many would say bullies are a notoriously sneaky bunch with little regard for official proclamations of tolerance.
Yet, Pamela L. Riley, executive director of the National Association of Students Against Violence Everywhere, tells The New York Times the bill's provision for educating teachers and administrators should help.
"The No. 1 thing I hear from parents when they're calling about a student being abused is that the teachers didn't see it, or they don't know what to do once they identify it," says Riley, a former high school principal. "So it's important to get the education along with the reporting."
Specifically, the bill:
- Declares public schools bully-free environments
- Informs students and parents of policies against bullying and resources to combat it
- Trains teachers, administrators and staff to identify and stop bullying
- Creates guidelines for nondiscriminatory instruction and counseling
- Makes tolerance and sensitivity toward others part of the regular curriculum
- Provides a staff member trained in human-relations counseling to help victims
- Requires reports on bullying incidents be filed with the State Education Department
All this is good news for Assemblyman Daniel J. O'Donnell, who spearheaded the bill for the last five years. O'Donnell, who is openly gay, tells The Times he was tormented because of his weight as a child and that he hopes the bill will help children with similar differences.
O'Donnell says gay teenagers are more open about their sexuality today than in the past, making them targets for bullies.
"When I was growing up, no one at 17 was gay," he tells The Times.
He tells the paper the bill took a long time to pass because it had to fight its way past traditional notions that bullying is just a natural part of growing up.
"That leads to suicide and it leads to death," O'Donnell tells The Times. "There was a case in California where a transgender kid was murdered. So clearly, bullying escalates. What we're trying to do is nip bullying in the bud."
O'Donnell tells The Times the governor supports the bill. A spokesman for the governor's office tells the newspaper Paterson will review it.
If Paterson signs the bill, New York will be the 43rd state in the nation to pass anti-bullying legislation. Bullying has only lately becoming a major concern for state legislatures. Most of the other state bills have passed their laws in the past five years.
"No child should be terrified to go to school simply because of who they are," Thomas K. Duane, the New York bill's Senate sponsor, tells The Times. "There is no place for bullying and discrimination in New York's classrooms."
Related: How to Tell if Your Child is a Bully
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ReaderComments (Page 1 of 1)
6-25-2010 @ 8:23PM
gracelaronde said...No kidding, bullying is bad. But it doesn't help when toddlers are branded with that moniker by parents who decide a basic socialization ritual fits the heading 'bully'... It starts young, and Janet Lansbury has a unique (and not very popular) POV on the subject. Http://bit.ly/9JLxoR
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6-26-2010 @ 4:28AM
Roberta said...Having worked and observed the effects of an anti-bullying campaign in a VT junior-senior high school, I could not be a stronger supporter of this legislation.
First this particular VT school educated all the students as to what bullying was, including name-calling, verbal threats, physical actions, sexual harassment, and cyberbullying. The program also included student consciousness awareness groups for those who evidenced bullying. Counseling services were made available as necessary for either the bullying student or the student being bullied. Parents were also fully involved and a step system whereby if the teacher could not stop the bullying in the classroom and hall, then the problem was passed on to the in-school suspension support staff. If this didn't end the difficulty, then the principal and parents were called in to help.
In two incidences in which, thankfully no one was hurt, but one of which involved a gun and another a knife, the police were called in and the student was assigned at first to a day of out of school and thereafter for a few days to in-school suspension. This then ended when each of the two boys involved took responsibilty for his actions, and, with the help of staff, developed a proactive preventative program to end any chance or a repeat behavior. Thereafter, for a limited amount of time, each had to give weekly updates to the counselor and/or student council of their progress in meeting the plan's objectives.
Over the course of three years, the improvement in the calm and happiness levels of students, teachers, and staff, in my estimation, became much improved. The halls were quiet and one found fewer students to be upset by the effects of bullying. And when bullying did occur, students were no longer too embarrassed to report it.
6-26-2010 @ 3:09AM
lol said...bullying bad no way how could it be it did me good im now in theapy 3 times a week from what i saw the students and teachers do and they just figured out that bullying is bad. and the blame the teachers who say they dont know what to "do" i think anymore teachers are bigger bullies then the kids are i mean who else could suck people of their money want more then give a suck ass perfomence or baiscly treat your kid like crap and if they even say anything its a verbal assult (happened to me three times when i didnt say shit ok said something once but that was justified) and yes i have been in the teachers lounge i know where the damn rumers start on kids and then one kid says it was this person who started it and a fight so they sit back and watch i have seen it all. baiscly hell for kids either starts with teachers or has to do with them safe for kids f*** no and you wonder why kids bring guns and go nuts. oh and teachers if you read this dont say your not like that because women you know your still the bitch you were in high school and still like to screw with people that are hotter then you (and hell its easy anymore with the way teens dress) and men your still the horney (but even pervier) idoits you were back then and if you can pick on some poor little nerd or goth kid oh and hell have a feild day if their fat because you are going to do it. oh yeah dont think the kids telling the principal will help either thats just makes it worse because then thier will be a meeting with you and that teacher and if it wasnt seen by anyone or even if it was you and the kids are liers and the teachers are right because their all on the payroll together and when you tell the principal after that all the teachers then are out for you its like slitting your wrist before going swiming with the sharks i lost my best friend because all the teachers we had were vicious and they caused his death so no i dont think this will help anything if anything it will make matters worse because kids wont be able to bully in school so their wait and what would have whent from just a normal bully now becomes either a criminal (because their take their anger by doing something stupid weither it be stealing or again hurting someone) or worse a murderer all because if they hit someone when its school time and someone god knows a parent of a child their saw it the news would have the case in minutes so where would they go to beat the crap out of kids and not be seen into dark places.
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6-27-2010 @ 1:50PM
Gail Huddleston said...I hope your therapy helps. You obviously still have a lot of anger. You cannot dictate kindness and tolerance. Punishing those who are bullying rarely stops the bullying. It just increases their anger toward those who turned them in, and makes it likely that they will look for more devious ways to get back at them. Resources should be expended on those who are bullied, helping them learn to stand up for themselves and not give the bully the reaction that they are looking for. Of course anything that rises to the level of physical aggression should be dealt with. My experience is that in our district, teachers spend so much time teaching about bullying, and drug resistance, that they don't have time to teaching writing, grammar and punctuation.
6-26-2010 @ 6:03AM
Wendy said...If the school staff cannot see the bullying now, how are they going to see it with some new law in place? The "bullies" know enough not to attack without checking to see that no one is looking. The victim retaliates or defends him/herself and is labled "bully".
I've been through this scenario in New York State schools and Florida schools. The standard response to my complaints is: "teachers can't be everywhere! Why don't you volunteer your time to help monitor the students?"
Why don't we pass a law that says: Prospective teachers MUST work in the 'real world' for a minimum of one year before being able to teach AND must pass random drug testing?!
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12-01-2010 @ 11:27PM
Asunny said...Together all of us can make a difference and change the life of bullies, the bullied and ending bullycide. Letting all know it is not acceptable. Join the nationwide Rock It Across America Challenge to end bullying, promote good character, instill values, build self-esteem and confidence while having fun. Kick Jan 1st. Encourage all schools, churches, YMCA, Scouts, etc to join for nationwide support and motivation to change the culture of bullying. Jump Start 2011 with positive input adding joy, peace and happiness. Obtain FREE Rock It download at www.rockingitforlife.com. The Challenge is to Rock It at least 5 mins a day for a year to promote happy and healthy minds and bodies. This is more than a one day assembly or a march, but an ongoing life changing daily event connecting schools, churches, communities and children across the US for a united change. Please pass info on, letting others know.
People want to sit back and complain and comment on what is wrong, but together we can do something, we can make a difference in our children lives and help create a safer school atmosphere and learnable environment.
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3-11-2011 @ 5:09PM
chelsie chase said...Please send me more information on this. I was unable to view the president and first ladies vedio on this topic. I was on the governers campaign. I think soeone is trying to send me a message,(through,) this topic, (listed under,) ILU2, (yet I am unsure, ( as to what it may,) be? I have never bullied the ," Governor?
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