Both the Anti-Defamation League and mother Sirdeaner Walker are rallying for this legislation to be accepted into law. Sirdeaner Walker lost her 11-year-old son to a suicidal hanging last year as a result to bullying.
Walker stated in an interview, "I have decided to dedicate the rest of my life to make sure children can and will attend schools in a safe environment."
This bill, if passed, would require the state to develop a model anti-bullying policy for schools. It would include reporting on cyber-bullying, bullying by e-mail, texting, and harassing postings on social networking sites. Schools would have to report all incidents to the state, as well as document whether any students were punished.
The current New Hampshire law states, "All pupils have a right to attend public schools that are safe, secure, and peaceful" environments, and that one of our "highest priorities must be to protect students from violence by dealing with harassment, including bullying in our public schools." This proposed legislation goes further in several ways including the expansion of the definition of bullying to include intimidation and cyber-bullying. It will also include the prevention of the "creation of a hostile educational environment" as part of its legislative intent.
Some educators are nervous about what would constitute a mandatory report to the state. There is a fine line between being teased and being bullied. This proposed bill addresses those concerns as well. It will provide very specific language to assist parents, teachers, and administrators in understanding what is bullying and what is cyber-bullying, making it clear what requires intervention.
