'Bullyingbill'passesKentuckyHouse,96-0

FRANKFORT--LegislationthatwouldprohibitbullyingandharassmentamongstudentsinKentucky'spublicschoolsandrequireschooldistrictstoputproceduresinplacetohandlereportsofsuchbehaviorpassedtheHouseyesterdaybyavoteof96-0.

HouseBill91or"TheGoldenRuleAct",sponsoredbyRep.MikeCherry,D-Princeton, nowgoestotheSenateforitsconsideration.Itisthefourthanti-bullyingmeasurethatCherryhastriedtopassintolawinrecentyears.

Theprohibitionagainstbullying,harassmentandotherformsofintimidation--includingcyberbullyingviatheInternet--requiredbyHB91wouldbeincludedina"codeofacceptablebehavior"formulatedbyeachdistrictthatwouldbebasedontheGoldenRuleof"Dountoothersasyouwouldhavethemdountoyou." Eachcodewouldincludeproceduresforhandlingcomplaintsofbullyingandprotectingthosewhomakereportsfromretaliation.

Studentswhobreakthecodebyharassing,bullying,cyberbullyingorintimidatingotherstudentscouldfacesuspension,expulsionorotherdisciplinaryactionundertheproposal.

Becausetheoriginalbilldidnotincludecyberbullyingasaformofharassment,intimidationandbullying,thebillwasamendedbytheHousetoincludeaprohibitionagainstcyberbullying.Cherrysaideightoutof30statesthatcurrentlyhaveanti-schoolbullyinglawslistcyberbullyingasaformofbullyingintheirlegislation.

CherrysaidhewouldworkwiththeSenatetoensurethatcyberbullyingiswell-definedinthelegislation,atthesuggestionofRep.JimWayne,D-Louisville.

AnamendmentsponsoredbyRep.DavidFloyd,R-Bardstown,thatwouldrequireschooldistrictstoprovideinformationandassistancetostudentswhoarevictimsofbullyingabouthowtorespondtosuchbehaviorwasalsopassedbytheHouse.

"Inthelegislation,weassumethosewhoarebulliedaregoingtogetsomecounseling,aregoingtogetsomehelp,butassuming(doesn'tgetitdone),"saidCherry,commentingonwhytheamendmentisneeded.

HB91alsoincludesprovisionsthatwouldrequireschooldistrictstoprovidetrainingonthecodetoteachersandotherswhoworkdirectlywithstudents,iffundsareavailable,andincludeinformationonboththecodeandtheGoldenRuleindistrictemployeetrainingmanuals.DistrictswouldalsoberequiredtoreporttothestateDepartmentofEducationallincidentswhereastudenthasbeendisciplinedforharassment,intimidationorbullyingthreetimesinonesemester,aswellasthosetimeswhereastudenthasbeentheobjectofsuchbehaviorthreeormoretimespersemester.

--LRCPublicInformationOffice;courtesyofFrankLeidermann,AssociateEditor

Comments

[DEBORAH BROWN]

I am very much interested in any information concerning "Bullying" that I can share with my school (as we have been searching for a worthy program). Thank you,

[Janet Roy]

This comes too little too late. My daughter has endured 4 years of this bullying. We now have to put her in a school where school administrators will not tolerate this.

This is a mess and made our family despise where we live.

[Colleen Sohnlein]

I am Colleen Sohnlein and I currently have a lawsuit against the Newport Independent School Board because of the bullying, mental abuse, and physical abuse that my twin daughters endured for a year and a half. I am very interested in helping you get this passed! If there is anything I can do to help, just let me know!

[Sharon Simon]

I am very interested and concerned about the all the bullying that goes on at the Newport Middle School. I know the Sohnlein family very well and what happened to their daughter Laci is uncalled for. She was jumped by 2 girls and beat up so badly that she was knocked out for a few minutes. When we send our children to school it is the responsibilty for the teachers to see that they are safe and well taken care of. Well thats not how it is at Newport Middle School. There are so many children that get bullied daily at this school and the bullies are rarely punished for their actions. This school definately needs to adjust it's ways to make the school a safer environment for the children. If I can help to get this bill passed any faster please let me know by email. My email is sls1971@zoomtown.com

[Kristin Barnes]

I am a Newport High School Student, i will graduate with the class of 2009. I attended Newport Middle School in 2001-2005. I can honestly say that I was never a victom of bullying. Things were different then though, Colleen is a friend of my mothers and she tells me that the children who bully her daughters recieve no punishment at all. When i attended the school things were not that way. We had a different school officer then his name was officer Cox, and he was a very good individual in my opinion. Things definitely need to change at the middle school because they will enter high school soon and the punishments will be enforced. The students entering my school as incoming freshman act worse and worse every year, most of the teachers are overwhelmed when they have to teach a freshman class. Is there anything that can be done about this? I have to voice my opinion on this blog because i like many who attend my school are not old enough to vote yet. Please help! Feel free to contact me at Krisitnntyff@yahoo.com

[Colleen Sohnlein]

If I can be of help, please let me know. My email address is: sohnlein@fuse.net.
Colleen Sohnlein

[anonymous]

The Sohnlein twins are not the only victims of bullying at Newport Middle School. There have been many others, but not so severe. I believe that the school staff sees bullying to be something that kids have to just get used to. They think that it is a kind of right of passage into puberty and adulthood; that it toughens them up. They do not appreciate a parent that takes up for their child or children, as Mrs. Sohnlein did. I guess, as teachers and educators, they are taught to believe that, deep down, these kids are not bad kids, just mischevious. Unfortunately, that is just not the case. Some of these kids are just plain evil, mean, and jealous of kids who have anything that they do not have. And the major thing these kids do not have is parents who have taught them correctly from the start to do unto others as you would have them do unto you, the Golden Rule!
Their parents are probably bullies, too. Our prisons and jails are full of bullies. And our schools are not punishing the school bullies, so they will continue bullying and end up in jail or prison like those who have gone before them. This has to stop somewhere! If they are not taught correctly at home, then the school needs to step up and teach them that bullying is not acceptable behavior. There needs to be a system of reporting these incidents without fear of retaliation. And the school needs to take each and every report seriously. Kids who bully do not grow out of it! They go on to college and haze other students, or they rob and kill for what they want but do not want to work for. Maybe that's the key. Kids need to be taught to grow up, get a good education, and work for what they want. Today's kids are given way too much, way too fast, without knowing the value of work and earning what you want. We have welfare, which is good, but it's meant to be a helping hand, not a way of life. If kids don't have everything that their peers have due to unfortunate family circumstances, they don't want to get an education and better themselves. They want to find a way to get what they want right now, and without sacrificing anything for it. And they ruin the self esteem and, many times, the lives, of the kids who have what they want or are who they want to be, by bullying them. If the schools won't stop this, then it's up to the government to make them stop it! Let's get this bill passed in the Kentucky Senate NOW!

[Courtney Baker]

I am sorry to the Sohnlein girls for what they have faced. I do not know you but will tell you my brother has faced some of the worst bullying also, not only by students but teachers also. Some physical abuse as well as the mental. We live in Eastern Kentucky and he goes to school terrified every day. The teachers do not use authority here to protect our children. They never punish the bully always the victim. I believe we should pass this bill soon and get something done to protect our children. My child will start school in 2 years I hope things will be different then and he may be more protected. I would love for some one to email me on steps I can take to bring this to a stop or to a lawsuit. We also have slander going on with the bullying. My parents are going through pure hell and we hate part of this community now. Backstabbers and problem makers. Thank You!

[Angie]

I am interested to see if any one has comments or feelings on the Campbell County School system? I have twins that just started there this year. One of which is picked on and has had other students put their hands on her. It seems when she "gets back" at them she gets caught and gets in trouble. I cant blame her for getting back when the school has done nothing this far. She tries to go to teachers and tell, and the teachers dont believe her.To top this all off is the fact that she has an IEP plan and has learning disablities one of which is a problem with her short tearm memory. Therefore after an attack has been made on her, her story gets mixed up and changed around. The teachers take this as lying about the situation that happend. Please e-mail me if anyone has had issues with this school district,as I am at a loss of what to do.
sunshinepeck@hotmail.com

[J S]

I had a nephew that was a fine young man at 13 years old. He was a role model that only most young men could dream about. One day I was called and told that he had killed himself. During the funeral we were informed that he had been through 3 years of being bullied. I am speaking out for him and telling all students if this is happening to you, speak up and continue to speak until someone listens. Please tell your parents. You don't have to put up with anyone bullying you. Nothing is worth taking your life for. In memory of my wonderful nephew, Stephen

[a voice]

i am 11 years old
i was jumped lastnight by some one from my school.
there was another girl that was trying to get me but my friend stoped her.
i get picked on all the time.i dont look right
my clothes are funny
or that i dont want to do what they are doing.cause its bad
when i fight back more like yell back i get blamed for being a bully.
i get chased allot and they throw things at me.
i try not to cry and just get home.some times i just sit down and wait.people just look as they go by.
my mom wont let me go no where now
i cant go out to my yard cause if they get introuble in school they just get mad and come here and get me.so i cant tell.
if they cant be mean to me they blame me for things i didnt do so i will get in trouble then they laugh at me.i try to be like them
but i get beat up any way.
**********************************
i was asked to send this by a student in the dayton ky grade school.
she has recently moved so her mom could afford to get her to tharapy.
cause she wants to die.
Changing schools will not stop this ,its every where.
please pay attention to you kids.
they need your help .
please pay attention to all our kids.
bullying is a cry for help to.

[Middle School Mom]

My child attends Madison Middle School in Richmond, KY. This is his first year there and he is now depressed and has panic attacks. He is bullied everyday there both physically and mentally. He has gone from a honor roll student to barely passing. He has no friends, he has no self esteem and is not learning. Is there anyone else whose child is experiencing these problems at this school? My child goes to therapy and has medical care for his panic attacks, but I think we could use a support group of parents and children. God bless them all, they are helpless in this school system.

[Joey Brown]

There is a wonderful organization based in Mt. Washington, Kentucky called "Make a Difference for Kids, Inc." It is devoted to stopping bullying and teen suicide, and was formed following the suicides of two best friends in 2006 and 2007. One of the girls was a victim of cyberbullying. This organization and its founders played a huge roll in getting Kentucky's bully bill signed into law in April. For more information, check out www.makeadiferenceforkids.org.