This hearing of the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions examines bullying-free schools: how local, state and federal efforts can help. Following an opening statement by Honorable Tom Harkin (Chairman, Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions), the following prepared statements are presented: (1) Russlynn H. Ali,…

This report has been provided to the Legislature on an annual basis since 2000 when the legislature amended the language of G.L. c. 71B to align Massachusetts special education terminology with the federal "Individuals with Disabilities Education Act" ("IDEA"). The Department is required to submit an annual report on compliance…

Describes school and school district responsibilities to protect students from bullying. Includes duty to train, to remedy, to monitor, and to investigate. (PKP)

Discusses New York case involving harassment of a female high school junior by three other girls culminating in physical attack that results in serious brain injuries to the girl. Girl's parents sued school officials for negligence. Jury finds that the vice-principal acted in reckless disregard for girl's safety and awards parents $11.2 million…

This document presents a written testimony as submitted on June 1, 2001, in Downey, California, regarding long-term effects on students from being bullied or victimized by peers. Such victimization is now considered a warning sign of potentially violent students. Bullying, prevalent in schools, has detrimental effects upon children. It involves…

Today, students are making major investments to pursue higher education, which they correctly see as an opportunity to grow and challenge themselves and to develop skills that will better prepare them for their future. While students work hard to succeed in higher education, the last thing they should ever have to worry about is whether they are…

Research shows that students who experience discipline that removes them from the classroom are more likely to repeat a grade, drop out of school, and become involved in the juvenile justice system. This can result in decreased earning potential and added costs to society (lost tax revenue and incarceration). The Government Accountability Office…

The 2013 session of the 118th Indiana General Assembly adjourned sine die (with no appointed date for resumption) on Saturday, April 27, 2013. The legislature considered over 2,200 bills during the session, many of which addressed education policy and school governance, or were child-related legislation. This report is a summary of 12 key PK-12…

The Virginia Board of Education's "Student Conduct Policy Guidelines" were first developed in 1994 in response to action by the 1993 General Assembly requiring the Virginia Board of Education to establish such guidelines. In 2004, the "Guidelines" underwent a major revision in response to requirements of § 22.1-279.6. of the…

In a suit involving an assaulted Native American middle school student, a federal court judge granted the Philadelphia Public Schools' motion for summary judgment. Even in this post-Columbine era, senseless on-campus, student-to-student violence is generally not considered a civil-rights issue. Exceptions are noted. (MLH)

Although the U.S. Supreme Court allows students to sue districts (under Title IX) over teacher-student harassment, federal courts have split over peer harassment. In "Davis v. Monroe County Board of Education" (1999), the Supreme Court ruled that students can sue districts for inadequate responses to reported peer sexual harassment. (MLH)