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Take Action to Stop Bullying
The North Carolina House will hold a critical vote on House Bill 1366, the School Violence Prevention Act, as early as this Wednesday, July 2.
As you may remember, last year the House passed this important bill to address bullying, but the Senate stripped out critical language that address bullying based on sexual orientation, gender identity and other categories. This week the House will be voting on whether to accept or reject the Senate's weak, ineffective version.
We need your help to ensure that house votes not to concur with the Senate, so a conference committee can work to pass the strongest possible bill. Please, take a moment right now to email your legislator.
| Sample Letter for Campaign |
Subject: No Concurrence on H. B. 1366
Dear [ Decision Maker ] ,
As your constituent, I ask that you vote not to concur with the Senate's weakened, ineffective version of H.B. 1366, the School Violence Prevention Act.
The House passed this bill last year, an important step towards ensuring that all our students have a safe place to learn.
However, the Senate has passed a version that removes critical language designed to ensure that the most vulnerable and most frequent victims of bullying are protected by making clear that school policies include harassment based on the victim's race, physical appearance, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity, and other characteristics.
Research has demonstrated that including this language makes students feel safer, and makes teachers and school staff more likely to intervene.
Please vote not to concur with the Senate version so a conference committee can ensure we have the strongest possible law to address the epidemic of bullying in our schools.
Thank you.
Sincerely,
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Campaign Launched:
June 30, 2008
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Take action to stop bullying and harassment in our schools!
Here are some key reasons to support House Bill 1366, the School Violence Prevention Act.
- Students have a right to a sound basic education, but too often bullying and harassment interferes with that right.
- This bill passed the House 73-46 with strong bipartisan support.
- Bullying that goes unaddressed also contributes to more severe violence, like school shootings. A study by the U.S. Secret Service indicates that a history of bullying was a factor in three-quarters of school shootings in recent years.
- Because they feel unsafe, victimized youth are pushed out of schools and into high-risk behavior. These youth are more likely to skip school, drop out, engage in substance abuse, or worse.
- Every student deserves to be treated with dignity and respect. Physical appearance, sexual orientation, and gender identity are the three most frequent reasons for bullying and harassment in schools, yet these types of bullying are often overlooked by school personnel.
- This bill protects ALL students from bullying, and its inclusion of enumerated categories will provide clear direction to teachers, administrators, and students about the scope of the law. Teachers want clear policies that will give them the backing they need to address problems in the classroom and on the playground.
- While harassment of any kind is unacceptable and should be dealt with quickly, firmly, and with appropriate consequences and remedies, certain groups of people have suffered systematic institutional prejudice, and discrimination and as a result are at a disproportionate risk of being the target of harassment and violence.
