The 'Anti-Bullying Bill of Rights' was unveiled Monday
Stella Serpa speaks about how she was tormented as a young girl by classmates a during a press conference today to unveil the "Anti-Bullying Bill of Rights" designed to combat harassment, intimidation and bullying among students.TRENTON — For eight years, state lawmakers tried to protect New Jersey school kids from bullies by passing laws encouraging school districts to set up anti-harassment programs, recognizing cyberbullying was a problem and requiring schools to post their new rules.
Conceding those laws did little to help New Jersey students who endure intimidation in schools and colleges, lawmakers today unveiled a bipartisan effort to enact the toughest-anti bullying law in the nation.
The earlier efforts “broke some ground, but clearly not enough,’’ said Sen. Diane Allen (R-Burlington), one of the bill’s sponsors. “This one’s going to make a big, big difference,” she said.
The “Anti Bullying Bill of Rights,” announced at an emotional news conference attended by parents, lawmakers and adults who had been bullied in school, would require training for nearly all school employees on how to spot, prevent and report acts of intimidation. Each district must form a “school safety team” that reviews complaints, lead by a counselor designated as an “anti-bullying specialist.’’
The measure (A3466) would also require school employees to report harassing actions they learn about that take place off school property — and those who don’t could face disciplinary action.
Assemblywoman Valerie Vanieri Huttle (D-Bergen), the Assembly sponsor said the far-reaching legislation is necessary, because for too many students, “school should be a safe place to learn, but it’s become a war zone.’’
The legislation was unveiled about one month after Rutgers University student Tyler Clementi jumped from the George Washington Bridge on Sept. 22 after his roommate set up a webcam and streamed online an intimate encounter he had with another man in their dorm.
Steven Goldstein, chairman of Garden State Equality, a civil rights group, said the bill has been in the works for a year because “we anticipated that a tragedy could happen.’’ Clementi’s death was tragically prescient, he said. “God, nobody wishes we were correct.’’
Kim Otto of Haddonfield today said her teenage son, John, now 16, had confessed his classmates’ daily “verbal assaults” for being gay drove him to “not want to live anymore’’ about two years ago.
She and her husband, also named John, made sure their son got help: a 10-day inpatient stay at a psychiatric hospital, and access to a therapist whenever he needed it.
“When the tragedy with Tyler Clementi came into the news, he started to feel all of those horrible, horrible things again,” she said. “We are fortunate we are able to have him in therapy, and do everything we can for him. “But we are so desperate to have a program inside the schools that address bullying.”
“I knew there was trouble when in the years following the signing of the bullying law in 2002, I would have parents calling my office from all over the state ... in a panic and say my child is being bullied,’’ Buono said.”I would say ‘Did you go to the principal, or someone in authority?’ They said ‘yes I did, but they are turning a blind eye.’ This should not happen.’’
PREVIOUS COVERAGE:
• Secaucus schools kick off anti-bullying campaign
• In wake of Tyler Clementi suicide, Facebook teams with support groups to combat cyberbullying
• N.J. group holds Ridgewood meeting on Tyler Clementi tragedy, bullying and suicide problem
• Vigil for Tyler Clementi and other gay and lesbian victims of cyber-bullying held at New Jersey City University
• Rutgers hosts community meeting to discuss Tyler Clementi tragedy, bullying problem
• Complete coverage of Tyler Clementi's suicide case