Poll: Is the Anti-Bullying Law Helpful?
While the state wrestles with funding a mandate it created, we wondered what parents think.
After about five months in practice, the law requiring school districts to institute and follow procedures aimed at limiting bullying, harassment and intimidation problems was chucked by a state board last month.
The panel ruled the law carried a mandate with it, which must be funded by the state. Since no money has been provided to districts to conduct the investigation, reviews and reporting of incidents the law requires, the panel determined districts are not obligated to follow it.
But we've noticed readers seem to be interested in the HIB policies and reporting of incidents, moreso from the high school but also in the elementary schools. Readers responded to stories reporting the HIB investigation results, showing there is concern about bullying incidents in the schools.
So we wondered if readers were happy to learn about the ruling, or sorry to see the policies put on hold for the time being. Take our poll—and add your thoughts below.
Marina Kennedy
11:06 pm on Tuesday, February 7, 2012
There have been a lot of procedures put into place in local districts including staff training, parent meetings, and an Anti-bullying coordinator. Even without funding, the measures that curb bullying makes children safer and happier. I hope that individual districts continue procedures to recognize and investigate behaviors that can be hurtful to others.
Lv in Life
8:41 am on Wednesday, February 8, 2012
This subject has mixed feelings by many families. Our children today are growing up where everything is instant. Cell phones, facebook, i-chat ,twitter to name a few. This technology has given our children freedom that most of them are not ready to handle.I really feel our children should be taught the ramifications of bulling on our computer savoy society. The kids don't realize the impact that their word have in this tech savoy world they have been born into. To me this is the most important thing we can teach our children. The impact that their words can have on someone through the internet.