Schools need to stop ignoring bullying and take real action to stop it, say two local state legislators who have proposed separate new laws to curb the bad behavior.
State Sen. Sandra Williams, a Cleveland Democrat, and State Rep. Dave Greenspan, a Westlake Republican, have different approaches to their bills. But both say they have had relatives bullied at schools and seen schools do little to stop it or punish the bullies.
So each want schools to intervene faster and cut off bullying, not just let it continue.
“I want kids to be able to concentrate on the work they do at school and not worry about being beat up,” said Williams, who wants to target verbal and not just physical abuse. “We have students who are afraid to go to school everyday. We need to nip this in the bud before it gets to a physical altercation.”
She added: “It’s a problem that is happening in rural communities, not just urban communities.”
She has proposed in Senate Bill 196 a more clear definition of bullying for the state and a system of escalating counseling and punishments in S.B. 197 for each offense.
Greenspan, whose bill also covers hazing at colleges, takes a harsher approach by mandating a suspension for a first offense. Bullies, he said, need to be sent a clear message.
“Listen, what you’ve done is wrong,” said Greenspan. “There is a consequence for that.”
Both bills were recently introduced and have not had any hearings yet.
Though bullying incidents nationally have fallen slightly in recent years, the U.S. Department of Education reported two years ago that 22 percent of students between 12 and 18 years old had been bullied in the past year at school.
Ohio considers bullying a serious issue, with the Ohio Department of Education reminding districts just this week that October is National Bullying Prevention Month and listing a series of resources for schools and families.
But both Greenspan and Williams think state law does not go far enough.
Ohio law defines bullying as:
(a) Any intentional written, verbal, electronic, or physical act that a student has exhibited toward another particular student more than once and the behavior both:
(i) Causes mental or physical harm to the other student;
(ii) Is sufficiently severe, persistent, or pervasive that it creates an intimidating, threatening, or abusive educational environment for the other student.
The law requires schools to have a policy for handling bullying that must include “a procedure for responding to and investigating any reported incident,” but both Williams and Greenspan are bothered that state law spells out no penalties.
Williams said state law also does not make bullying a separate crime, aside from some offenses counting as crimes like assault or aggravated menacing.
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