US Sen. Bob Casey (PA-D) will introduce this week an anti-bullying bill aimed specifically at schools.
The Safe Schools Improvement Act would require school districts to develop and implement locally-driven anti-bullying policies to protect children. It would also require states to report data on bullying and harassment to the US Department of Education.
“We all have to do more because this is a much more significant problem than when I was growing up. Not enough is being done despite the fact that we have hundreds and hundreds of schools around the country, in many, many school districts working on this problem,” said Casey.
According to The Department of Education, nearly one in three children is affected by bullying and harassment.
The bill would require school districts receiving federal funds to adapt codes of conduct that specifically prohibit bullying and harassment including conduct based on a student’s actual or perceived race, color, national origin, sex, disability, sexual orientation.
