 Comprehensive Anti-Bullying Legislation: It's the right thing to do!
Anti-bullying legislation passed in 2006 left many Missouri students vulnerable and unprotected. The vague nature of the statute creates opportunity for bullying against vulnerable students to remain unaddressed by local school districts. PROMO is committed to addressing this issue during the 2010 legislative session.
The main flaw with the current law is that it does not include specific enumerated categories of students (e.g. race, sexual orientation, disability, etc.) against whom bullying is prohibited, and it actually prohibits the inclusion of such categories. It has been proven that students with certain characteristics are more likely to be harassed, and that the most effective way of providing protection is to clearly indicate that bullying on the basis of these actual or perceived characteristics is prohibited. This does not give special protections to these students, but rather gives teachers and administrators guidance by specifically prohibiting forms of bullying that may otherwise go unaddressed.
A safe and civil environment in school is necessary in order for students to learn and achieve high academic standards. Discrimination, harassment, intimidation and bullying, like other disruptive or violent behaviors, is conduct that disrupts both a student's ability to learn and the school's ability to educate its students. It is essential to enact a law that seeks to protect the health and welfare of all Missouri students and improve the learning environment in our public schools.
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