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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE |
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State
Rep. James E. Casorio, Jr. |
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Casorio introduces anti-bullying measure
HARRISBURG, March 19 – State Rep. James E. Casorio Jr., D-Westmoreland, has introduced legislation that would require school districts in Pennsylvania to adopt and enforce formal anti-bullying policies.
The bill was unveiled today during a Capitol news conference as part of a multi-bill, anti-crime and violence package introduced by House Democrats.
"Bullying has become a significant problem in many school districts across Pennsylvania," Casorio said. "It has grown well beyond the scope of kids picking on other kids; it introduces the real potential for violence in the classroom and it routinely disrupts learning not only for the children being bullied, but also for other students and teachers, as well."
Casorio's legislation (H.B. 2373) would require all school districts in Pennsylvania to set up formal anti-bullying plans and to present those plans to the public for review. Anti-bullying plans also would have to be approved by the state Department of Education.
Once a school district's anti-bullying plan was in place, the district would be required to inform students and parents about it and to enforce it. School districts would be able to rely on model bullying and anti-intimidation plans created by the state's Office of Safe Schools when tailoring their own plans. The model plans would be based on programs already in place in some Pennsylvania school districts and in other parts of the country.
An ongoing study conducted at UCLA, as well as other studies on bullying, have found that as many as 30 percent of middle school students are involved at least occasionally in bullying, either as the student doing the bullying or the victim, and sometimes both.
"This is a serious education problem that needs to be addressed," Casorio said. "Students cannot learn when they are constantly worried about being intimidated, harassed or physically assaulted, and bullying, if not addressed early, can often lead to much worse behavior as an adult.
"Anti-bullying programs, where they are formal, advertised and enforced, have been shown to be effective in reducing student-on-student intimidation and violence," he said. "Making sure anti-bullying programs are in place in all Pennsylvania schools would help create a better learning atmosphere for students and staff."
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