February Articles

Federal education officials set sights on state anti-bullying practices

Aricka Flowers, UOPX Writer Network

| February 4, 2011

After a rash of teen and tween suicides from across the nation sparked concern among parents and educators alike, Secretary of the U.S. Department of Education Arne Duncan sent a memo to state officials about anti-bullying practices.

“We have all been told that bullying has been going on in our schools forever. But we can stop it now,” Duncan said in a press release. “Strong anti-bullying policies instill a climate that this behavior will not be tolerated.”

Named the Technical Assistance memo, the document outlined a collaborative effort between the departments of Education, Health and Human Services, Agriculture, Interior, Defense and Justice to create a support network for states seeking to prevent bullying in their schools via legislation. The memo was partially incited by an October 26 Dear Colleague letter by the Department's Office of Civil Rights (OCR), which pointed out that bullying could lead to legal problems for schools under civil rights laws enforced by the OCR and Department of Justice.

Forty-five states have some form of anti-bullying laws on the books, and many have experienced success with such legislation. In Florida, state law clearly outlines what is considered bullying and Kansas law defines what qualifies as cyberbullying, making it easier to dole out discipline for behavior that falls under those categories.

"Though laws are only a part of the cure for bullying, the adoption, publication and enforcement of a clear and effective anti-bullying policy sends a message that all incidents of bullying must be addressed immediately and effectively, and that such behavior will not be tolerated," reads the memo. "State laws, and their related district- and school-level policies, cannot work in isolation, however. When responding to bullying incidents, schools and districts should remember that maintenance of a safe and equitable learning environment for all students, including both victims and perpetrators of bullying, often requires a more comprehensive approach."

The memo also noted the Department of Education's awarding of 11 grants to states for the creation of an evaluation system to access a school's learning environment, prevalence of bullying and overall safety. Schools Chief Duncan says a unified front by legislators and educators will be necessary in order to successfully address the issue of bullying, which is plaguing the nation's schools.

“We need the commitment from everyone at the federal, state and local level to put an end to bullying,” said Duncan. “I hope that highlighting these best practices will help policymakers as they work to keep our children safe and learning.”

Education officials intend to continue their attack on bullying by preparing an overarching report on effective state anti-bullying laws and will study how these rules have been implemented. The Department of Education will also be holding its first Federal Anti-Bullying Summit in August. More information on that event can be found at http://www.bullyinginfo.org.

For more on bullying, read: