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2008 House Bill 91 (Require "bullying" policies in schools)

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  • Introduced by Rep. Mike Cherry on January 8, 2008, to require school districts to have plans, policies, and procedures dealing with measures for assisting students who are engaging in disruptive and disorderly behavior, including harassment, intimidation, or bullying of another student.
    • Referred to the House Education Committee on January 10, 2008.
    • Reported in the House on January 15, 2008, favorably, 1st reading, to Calendar.
    • Amendment offered by Rep. David Floyd on January 16, 2008, to teach students strategies to deflect bullying.
    • Amendment offered by Rep. David Floyd on January 28, 2008, to require school districts to provide information and assistance on how to respond to and avoid instances of bullying to students who have been subjected to bullying.
    • The amendment passed in the House by voice vote on January 29, 2008, to require a local school district to provide information and assistance on how to respond to and avoid instances of bullying to students who have been subjected to bullying.
    • Amendment offered by Rep. Mike Cherry on January 28, 2008, to include cyberbullying in the prohibition of student harassment, intimidation, and bullying.
    • The amendment passed in the House by voice vote on January 29, 2008.
  • Passed in the House (96 to 0) on January 29, 2008. [Vote Details and Comments]
  • Received in the Senate on January 30, 2008.
    • Referred to the Senate Judiciary Committee on February 1, 2008.
    • Reported in the Senate on March 13, 2008, favorably, to Rules.
    • Substitute offered in the Senate on March 13, 2008, to require school personnel to report incidents of student offenses of criminal harassment, or harassing communications to law enforcement, with a requirement that the incident be investigated. The substitute would create a data collection system for the reporting of incidents of student offenses of criminal harassment, or harassing communications, with monthly reporting of the number and types of incidents reported. The substitute would also require updating of student discipline codes to include material relating the taking, reporting, or investigation of complaints of student offenses. The substitute passed in the Senate by voice vote on March 13, 2008.
  • Passed in the Senate (35 to 0) on March 13, 2008, to require school personnel to report incidents of student offenses of criminal harassment, or harassing communications to law enforcement, with a requirement that the incident be investigated. The substitute would create a data collection system for the reporting of incidents of student offenses of criminal harassment, or harassing communications, with monthly reporting of the number and types of incidents reported. The substitute would also require updating of student discipline codes to include material relating the taking, reporting, or investigation of complaints of student offenses. [Vote Details and Comments]
  • Received in the House on March 14, 2008.
    • Referred to the House Rules Committee on March 14, 2008.
  • Received in the Senate on March 24, 2008.
  • Passed in the Senate (30 to 3) on April 2, 2008, to require school districts to have plans, policies, and procedures dealing with measures for assisting students who are engaging in disruptive and disorderly behavior, including harassment, intimidation, or bullying of another student. [Vote Details and Comments]
  • Received in the Senate on April 2, 2008, to require school districts to have plans, policies, and procedures dealing with measures for assisting students who are engaging in disruptive and disorderly behavior, including harassment, intimidation, or bullying of another student. Passed in the Senate (34 to 2) on April 2, 2008. [Vote Details and Comments]
  • Received in the House on April 2, 2008.
  • Passed in the House (91 to 4) on April 2, 2008, to require school districts to have plans, policies, and procedures dealing with measures for assisting students who are engaging in disruptive and disorderly behavior, including harassment, intimidation, or bullying of another student. [Vote Details and Comments]
  • Signed by Gov. Steve Beshear on April 15, 2008, to require school districts to have plans, policies, and procedures dealing with measures for assisting students who are engaging in disruptive and disorderly behavior, including harassment, intimidation, or bullying of another student.

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Comments

Introduced by Rep. Mike Cherry on January 8, 2008. Passed in the House (96 to 0) on January 29, 2008. New Comment

1) House Bill 91 [by Anonymous Citizen on November 11, 2008]
I am a student at a school in Eastern Kentucky and I gave watched kids being bullied and nothing being done about it. I dont think this is right. When i steped in to help the child that was being bullied i got punished. I think its about time a law is passed to help these kids being bullied
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2) HB 91 [by Anonymous Citizen on November 7, 2008]
I have 3 kids who attend public schools. Recently one of my children was hit but another student with a belt and my son was in the office for 4hrs. The other students that were involved were in the office also.
I called the school after my son informed me of this and spoke with the assistant principal and he said he was still investigating. But the next morning i found out that punishment was dealt the same day.
The asst. told me that my son told him his side and when I talked to my son and one of the others involved and his story and my sons story was the same.
The principal only took the initial report. Then the asst gets the incident afterwards,
The next day this same child threatened my son and I went to the Board of Education.
I was informed there that I should take it up with the principal and if that didn't resolve anything then come to him. Well I have already done that.
This is not the only incident.
The school system has ignored this bullying for so long it is time to get a grip and do it now before there is other incidents like Columbine or the Heath School shooting.
I am tired of not being able to believe that my child is safe in the school system and getting an education.
If we don't put a stop to this now, we might all end up regretting what might be happening in the school sysytem. Thank goodness at least Sen. Mike Cherry has supported this House bill 91 for bullying in the school system.
IF more parents would stand up and voice their opinions regarding this and go to the school board meetings and be heard and be a voice for our children then somewhere down the line hopefully we can put a stop to this in the school systems and our children can feel safe about going to school and so can we.
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3) house bill 91 [by mason418 on September 26, 2008]
I think this is somewhat reasonable but what if you have a student who reports bullying to school officials and nothing is done and later down the road the the student that is being bullied takes as much as they can and snaps. We're all human and can only take so much. I'm in a situation now where my child tried to get out of a class we a bunch of others we're bullying her she was denied by asst. principal because her grades are good. well 2 wks later her girl start yelling in her face pushes my child my child pushed back the girl pushed her again and my child punched her. I think if the asst. principal did'nt do much to prevent this and then my child was the only one to get suspended even though the other girl started the physical contact. So as a parent I have tried to contact the principal and asst. pric/ several times and still have not heard from them. It seems to me that either their hiding something or they don't want to have to explain why one is suspended for full day and the other only gets 1 day after school suspension. 1st of all schools need to stop classifing children. That would help because the upper class kids wouldn't think they could get away with everything.
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4) bullying bill [by Anonymous Citizen on March 17, 2008]
This needs to expand to include bullying from/on the internet and/or texting! Students keep finding ways around laws/policies so wrap up any loopholes before it gets too far!
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5) KUDO'S To Rep. Cherry [by Anonymous Citizen on February 9, 2008]
This is one fine piece of legislation that Rep. Mike Cherry, D-Princeton, has introduced and supported to a successful passage of the House. This is his fourth attempt to pass legislation requiring school districts to have anti-bullying policies and procedures. This is a real problem in our school systems and has to be addressed. This issue does not have a line’s divided by social economic, ethnic or race. It has to be handled this session (which the House has realized); I encourage parents, concerned citizens to support this House Bill 91 and encourage the Senate to support this legislation.
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Received in the Senate on April 2, 2008. Passed in the Senate (34 to 2) on April 2, 2008. New Comment

1) weird bully sayings [by Anonymous Citizen on October 16, 2008]
wow, these sayings are weird. like lick'em and kick'em.
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2) What's wrong with the old plan? [by Anonymous Citizen on April 3, 2008]
When I was in school in the late 50's and all through the 60's every school I attended had a workable and very successful plan for students that bullied other students. The first offense they got their butts paddled and stayed after school, the second offense that got twice as many licks, were kicked out of school for 1 - 2 weeks, got F's for that time and then had to stay after school and do extra work to make up their grades. On the third offense they were transfered from public school to reform school.
But, this was back before everything was society's fault and students were made to take responsibility for their actions and parents were held responsibile for their childs behavior and if a social worker tried to butt in the social worker was fired and if necessary put in jail. It worked and was a whole lot cheaper.
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3) You are CORRECT [by star40481 on August 25, 2008]
Bring back the PADDLE! Give these kids something to be scared of!!! My son has been bullied in school for over 2 years now!!!! These little bullies get a slap on the wrist and are right back at it!! The people that don't want the paddle brought back either don't have kids or know there child would get paddled every day!!!Teach your kids right from wrong people!!!
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4) Problem with corporal punishment [by Anonymous Citizen on June 11, 2008]
The drawback with what you're describing is that various forms of trauma may be what causes bullying in the first place. Physical trauma as discipline may only intensify bullying behavior. In any event, a bully's behavior always seems to be motivated by a desire to make others feel worse RELATIVE to himself.
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5) BULLIES [by Anonymous Citizen on September 15, 2008]
Most children are not bullies because of abuse. Most children are bullies because the parents do not care anymore. Parents do not step in with their children and monitor them like our generation. To many children are left unattended and dropped off somewhere so they can have a "break" from their children. We didn't have children to be bothered by them. We have them to raise them to be young, fine, respectable adults.
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6) What a wonderful plan... [by Anonymous Citizen on April 4, 2008]
That is a great plan. Lick 'em and kick 'em?Let's teach our children not to bully by...what...bullying them? Yes, sir...I am going to stop little Johnny from threatening his friends by threatening him with physical harm. Genius! It sounds like you really know kids...they always listen to what we say, don't pay attention to what we do, and can make perfect sense of the discrepancies between the two. Now, I do concede that bit of your plan is a good thing (seriously). Natural consequences of behavior and the chance to redeem yourself for your wrongs is on the right track (detention, suspension, extra work to make up for missed work), but I would also add some restitution to the student harmed or to the school in general to make up for a negative environment...it is actually to help out the kid who did the wrong learn from his mistake as much as it is for the student and/or school. A lot of schools, currently, are pretty good at this. If you ask me, I do not really want to go back to the schools of 50 years ago (not that we can not learn very valuable lessons from them).

An additional comment related to your view of social workers. I challenge you to walk in the shoes of a social worker any day of the week. Especially one that works for child protective services and is on the front lines daily. Overworked, underpaid, and totally committed to the well being of the children they are working for. If you had half the cojones they did, you would think before you made half-cocked statements about how the world should work...
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