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发帖数: 4174 | 1 NJ weighs new bullying laws after Rutgers suicide
FILE - In this Oct. 3, 2010 file photo, people participate in a candlelight
vigil for Rutgers University freshman Tyler Clementi at Brower Commons on AP
– FILE - In this Oct. 3, 2010 file photo, people participate in a
candlelight vigil for Rutgers University …
By GEOFF MULVIHILL, Associated Press Writer Geoff Mulvihill, Associated
Press Writer – 2 hrs 42 mins ago
TRENTON, N.J. – New Jersey lawmakers introduced an "anti-bullying bill of
rights" Monday that one advocate said would be the toughest state law of its
kind in the nation, a proposal that follows the widely publicized suicide
of a Rutgers University student who was humiliated online.
The proposal was introduced by a bipartisan group of legislators and
advocates and seeks to augment laws New Jersey passed eight years ago. It
would require anti-bullying programs in public K-12 schools and language in
college codes of conduct to address bullying.
State Sen. Barbara Buono, a Democrat from Metuchen who was one of the main
sponsors of the 2002 law, said she has learned since then how prevalent
bullying is as parents of tormented children have called her office. The
original law only encouraged anti-bullying programs and wasn't doing enough,
she said.
"It's approaching 2011, and it's unfortunate that we're legislating things
like this," said State Sen. President Stephen Sweeney, a Democrat from West
Deptford.
Nearly every state now has some kind of law seeking to prevent or deal with
bullying in school. Such laws began appearing after two students believed to
be seeking revenge for being bullied killed 13 people and themselves at
Colorado's Columbine High School in 1999.
The proposed New Jersey legislation, though it's been months in the making,
was introduced after a nationwide wave of suicides by teenagers who were
tormented because it was believed they were gay.
The most visible was last month in New Jersey when 18-year-old Rutgers
University student Tyler Clementi jumped off the George Washington Bridge
into the Hudson River after his roommate allegedly secretly webcast Clementi
's dorm-room tryst with a man. The roommate and another student are charged
with invasion of privacy, and authorities are considering whether a hate-
crime charge is merited.
In a news conference Monday organized in part by Garden State Equality, the
state's biggest gay rights group, parents of gay teens who face bullying
told heartfelt stories.
They included David Zimmer, of Ridgewood, who said his 16-year-old son is
taking most of his classes online rather than face the students who call him
"fat faggot" and the school officials he said haven't always done enough
about it.
It's not just gay students who are targeted.
Stella Serpa, now 37, an Army veteran and administrative caregiver at
Columbia University Medical Center in New York, recalled how she was
tormented as a child because her mom was poor, then as a high school student
for her thick glasses and thin physique. Twenty years later, her eyes
welled up as she remembered hearing other girls call her "surfboard" and
throw their bras at her in the locker room.
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The memories of those years have been strong lately.
"I come across the George Washington Bridge every day on my commute," said
Serpa, who lives in Fort Lee. "And to think of a young man standing out
there on that bridge on the brink of emotional helplessness and taking a
dive into the Hudson, yeah, it has had an impact on me."
Serpa said the only thing that kept her going as a teen was a belief that
she could get into college and lead a better life.
The bill's provisions include requiring public school staff to be trained in
suicide prevention and how to deal with harassment, intimidation and
bullying.
Bullying prevention programs would be required of schools. Currently, most
New Jersey schools have them, but they are only encouraged — not required.
Schools would have to form safety teams that would shape policies and review
how bullying is handled.
Even public colleges and universities would be affected by a requirement for
an anti-bullying policy and enforcement mechanism in student-conduct codes.
State Sen. Diane Allen, a Republican from Edgewater Park, said one important
feature is that school websites would have to clarify who's in charge of
the bullying policies. Right now, she said, it can be hard for parents to
determine that.
Michael Drewniak, a spokesman for Gov. Chris Christie, said the
administration would look at the bill if it's passed — and given its
bipartisan sponsors, that seems likely. While Christie hasn't commented on
the bill, he did express sympathy to Clementi's parents and anger over the
circumstances of the suicide. |
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