Anti-Bullying
LaMarr
legislation, the Safe Schools Improvement Act of 2007 (H.R. 3132),
that would increase school safety and improve student achievement by
comprehensively addressing the issues of bullying and harassment. A
similar bill was introduced in the last Congress by Representatives
Danny Davis (D-IL) and John Shimkus (R-IL).
H.R. 3132 would amend the Safe and Drug-Free Schools and Communities
Act (Title IV of the No Child Left Behind Act) to require schools and
districts that receive SDFSA funds to ensure that their codes of
conduct specifically prohibit bullying and harassment, and that states
include bullying and harassment data in their state-wide needs
assessments reporting just as districts include such data in their
plans to address school safety. Current federal law provides
important federal support ($346.5 million in 2007) to promote school
safety, but does not comprehensively and expressly focus on issues of
bullying or harassment.
Specifically, H.R. 3132 would allow funds under SDFSA to be used to
train school counselors, among others, in "strategies to prevent
bullying and harassment and to effectively intervene when such
incidents occur." Unfortunately, the bill would not authorize any
new funds to carry out bullying and harassment prevention programs, as
it is meant to operate within the existing SDFSA state/local grant
program, ensuring an express focus on preventing bullying and
harassment as part of school safety. Thus, it is essential to urge
members of Congress to fully fund SDFSA to cover this and other vital
school safety programs.
This bill addresses the recommendations contained in the policy
statement recently released by members of the National Safe Schools
Partnership, of which ACA is a member. The policy statement, Bridging
the Gap in Federal Law: Promoting Safe Schools and Improved Student
Achievement by Preventing Bullying and Harassment in Our Schools,
reflect consensus based on research and long-standing experience among
education, civil rights, health, youth services and law enforcement
organizations.
Contact your Representative and ask him/her to co-sponsor (see a list
of current co-sponsors here) and support H.R. 3132, which would allow
school districts to use federal Safe and Drug-Free Schools funds to
prevent bullying and harassment. To send a message to your
Representative on this issue, go to: http://capwiz.com/counseling/home/.
For more information on this issue, contact Chris Campbell in ACA's
Office of Public Policy and Legislation at (800) 347-6647 x-241 or by
e-mail at ccam...@counseling.org.
Anti-bullying Resources:
About Bullying ( U.S. Department of Health and Human Services)
http://mentalhealth.samhsa.gov/15plus/aboutbullying.asp
Stop Bullying Now! http://www.stopbullyingnow.hrsa.gov/index.asp
Bridging the Gap in Federal Law: Promoting Safe Schools and Improved
Student Achievement By Preventing Bullying and Harassment in Our
Schools to the Resources for School Counselors
Christopher C. Campbell, M.A. Ed.
Assistant Director of Public Policy and Legislation
American Counseling Association
5999 Stevenson Avenue, Suite 200
Alexandria, VA 22304
703.823.9800 x241
703.823-0252 fax
703-405-9671 mobile
www.counseling.org