Chuck
February 25th, 2005, 05:01 PM
FRANKFORT -- An anti-bullying bill passed the House last night after
considerable debate on what constitutes bullying.
House Bill 405, sponsored by Rep. Mike Cherry, D-Princeton, would
require school districts to have procedures in place to address bullying
among students. Procedures would include reporting and investigation of
complaints, protections from retaliation and annual student review of
the procedures. Training for school employees would be required under
certain conditions, and substantiated cases of student harassment,
intimidation or bullying would be a cause for suspension or expulsion.
The legislation clarifies that a school employee or student who reports
a student for disruptive or disorderly behavior would be immune from
legal damages if the report is made in good faith. It also requires that
any procedural training teach employees how to improve reporting of
bullying at their school.
The bill passed the House 57-33 and has been sent to the Senate for its
consideration.
Rep. Scott Brinkman, R-Louisville, argued that the bill is too broad,
adding that its definition of bullying, harassment and intimidation
could even apply to rough talk and other actions between players during
a football game. He made a motion to table the bill but later rescinded.
One supporter of the measure was Rep. Mary Lou Marzian, D-Louisville.
Marzian told her colleagues that 86 percent of students say bullying and
teasing is a problem at their school. With that in mind, she explained
how dangerous bullying can be.
"A lot of the kids that are bullying are the ones who are doing poorly
in school, and sometimes they're the ones who come to school with guns
and shoot up the schools," she said.
considerable debate on what constitutes bullying.
House Bill 405, sponsored by Rep. Mike Cherry, D-Princeton, would
require school districts to have procedures in place to address bullying
among students. Procedures would include reporting and investigation of
complaints, protections from retaliation and annual student review of
the procedures. Training for school employees would be required under
certain conditions, and substantiated cases of student harassment,
intimidation or bullying would be a cause for suspension or expulsion.
The legislation clarifies that a school employee or student who reports
a student for disruptive or disorderly behavior would be immune from
legal damages if the report is made in good faith. It also requires that
any procedural training teach employees how to improve reporting of
bullying at their school.
The bill passed the House 57-33 and has been sent to the Senate for its
consideration.
Rep. Scott Brinkman, R-Louisville, argued that the bill is too broad,
adding that its definition of bullying, harassment and intimidation
could even apply to rough talk and other actions between players during
a football game. He made a motion to table the bill but later rescinded.
One supporter of the measure was Rep. Mary Lou Marzian, D-Louisville.
Marzian told her colleagues that 86 percent of students say bullying and
teasing is a problem at their school. With that in mind, she explained
how dangerous bullying can be.
"A lot of the kids that are bullying are the ones who are doing poorly
in school, and sometimes they're the ones who come to school with guns
and shoot up the schools," she said.