Governor Brown Zaps Bullies By Signing 2 Anti-Bullying Bills
Among the slew of legislation recently signed by Governor Jerry Brown, the newly signed Assembly Bills (AB) 1156 and 9 mark milestones in combating the bullying epidemic.
AB 1156 requires school site personnel to receive training in bullying prevention plus grants bullying victims priority for transferring out of a school, if requested. Per today's California State PTA release, students who are bullied are more likely to be depressed, think about and attempt suicide and experience behavior problems and difficulty while learning. Bullying also contributes to poor school attendance. Sponsored by the PTA, the bill was introduced by Assembly Member Mike Eng.
AB 9, also known as Seth's Law, was led by principal author Assemblymember Tom Ammiano (D - San Francisco) and requires schools to address and act on bullying. The measure is dedicated to the late Seth Walsh, one of the many students who chose to take his own life in last year’s rash of teen suicides provoked by bullying.
Tessie Guillermo, Board Chair of The California Endowment said, per today's release, "At The California Endowment, we believe that there are healthier and smarter ways for dealing with bullies that don't create long term problems. We need to recognize that while bullying and intolerance are indeed unacceptable, a kid who bullies may be frantically waving a red flag for help and support. He must be accepted even as his behavior is rejected."
PTA issued the following statement from President Carol Kocivar today in response to AB 1156's passage.
"In signing this legislation sponsored by the PTA, the Governor lays the groundwork for making our schools safer for students and teachers. This is a real achievement for all the children and families of California.Bullying is a serious issue at home and in school and this legislation takes important, concrete steps to reduce it. This bill gives students, their families and their teachers effective tools to help ensure school is a place where everyone is free to learn and teach without the threat of harm.
California State PTA commends the Governor for signing this legislation, and we thank our nearly 1 million members who made their voices heard by writing letters and taking other action to support this bill.
Today, we can celebrate our ability to work together - parents, teachers and public leaders - to pass this legislation that does so much to allow all of our children to learn in a safe and peaceful school environment."
PTA has partnered with Common Sense Media to combat cyberbullying. The campaign, dubbed "Standing Up, Not Standing By," launched with a "Cyberbullying Toolkit" and offers resources for parents and PTA leaders.
