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Anti-bullying bill approved by committee

February 08, 2007

The House Education Committee approved legislation Tuesday aimed at preventing bullying in schools.

House Bill 64, sponsored by Rep. Mike Cherry, D-Princeton, marks the western Kentucky lawmaker's fourth attempt to pass anti-bullying policies and procedures.

The legislation, which would prohibit harassment, intimidation or bullying of students in schools and require districts to investigate and respond to complaints, is similar to legislation that passed the House last year.

Bullying, harassment or intimidation of other students and consequences of violating anti-bullying policies, including expulsion and suspension, would be placed in a student's disciplinary record and transferred with that student should he or she switch schools, Cherry said.

Other provisions in the bill would require school districts to create a strategy for protecting students who report bullying from retaliation and create a process for annual discussion of the district's behavioral code, along with consequences for violations, with students, parents and legal guardians.

School councils that are planning to adopt an anti-bullying curriculum for students would be required by the bill to let parents review the material before it is adopted, even though parents and legal guardians would have the legal right to refuse that their children be taught the curriculum.

Those students who opt out would, however, still be subject to anti-bullying policies including possible suspension, expulsion or other action for violations.

Cases in which a student has been disciplined for violating a district anti-bullying policy three times in a semester or a student has been the object of such behavior three or more times in a semester must be reported by school districts to the state Department of Education under the bill.

That data and all student records related to harassment, intimidation or bullying would be confidential. Parents would also be able to inspect or challenge the records.

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