[Libs-Or] Fwd: [alacoun] Letter on Bullying

Tue Nov 6 16:31:54 PST 2007

More ALA activities

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Date: Tue, 6 Nov 2007 19:14:06 -0500
From: "Emily Sheketoff" <esheketoff at alawash.org>
To: <alacoun at ala.org>
Subject: [alacoun] Letter on Bullying

ALA, for AASL & the Association, participates in a coalition trying to
address bullying in K-12 schools.  The following letter will be sent to
the chairman and ranking member of Senate HELP this week....it might
have gone today.

The Honorable Edward M. Kennedy

Chairman, Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions

United States Senate

428 Dirksen Senate Office Building

Washington, DC 20510

The Honorable Michael B. Enzi

Ranking Member, Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions

United States Senate 

428 Dirksen Senate Office Building

Washington, DC 20510

Dear Senator Kennedy and Ranking Member Enzi:

Thank you for the opportunity to submit comments regarding the
importance of preventing bullying and harassment in the nation's
schools.  We value the opportunity to provide input to the Senate
Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions' Discussion Draft of
legislation to reauthorize the Elementary and Secondary Education Act
(ESEA). As national education, health care, civil rights, law
enforcement, youth development, and other organizations - all members of
the National Safe Schools Partnership - we applaud the Committee's
inclusion of language to ensure school safety and create school
environments where all students can achieve high standards.

We believe that all students are entitled to an education free from
bullying and harassment and want to thank you for recognizing and
beginning to address this widespread problem through reauthorization of
ESEA. Meeting the ambitious proficiency goals set forth by the No Child
Left Behind Act, and ensuring the academic success of all students, will
only be possible when every child feels safe in the classroom. Evidence
demonstrates that bullying and harassment significantly impact academic
performance, school attendance, dropout rates and a student's likelihood
of obtaining a post-secondary education. The U.S. Department of
Education has concluded that bullying and harassment "affects nearly one
in every three American schoolchildren in grades six through ten."[i]
<outbind://133/#_edn1>  And we know that bullying and harassment can
lead to even greater school safety problems.  Many high profile cases of
school violence - as well as incidents that are less noted - have been
attributed to students who were bullied and harassed in school.  This
research was published by members of the National Safe Schools
Partnership in June in a policy paper titled, "Bridging the Gap in
Federal Law: Promoting Safe Schools and Improved Student Achievement By
Preventing Bullying and Harassment in Our Schools."  (A copy of the
document is attached for your review.)  

Given this evidence, we strongly support your decision to use the
reauthorization process as an opportunity to strengthen state and local
efforts to prevent bullying and harassment through the Safe and Drug
Free Schools and Communities Act (SDFSCA). Leveraging the existing
SDFSCA structure, as well as the fact that all public schools already
have student conduct codes, provides an opportunity for Congress to act
in a way that will have demonstrable high impact toward our shared
educational aims, while doing so in a way that will have a minimal
burden at the state and local level. Indeed, although a limited number
of federal laws address certain particular kinds of harassment, they do
not prohibit all kinds of harassment in schools, and no federal law
specifically prohibits bullying in schools. Therefore, your work will
fill a troubling gap in federal education policy - to ensure that all
students, regardless of their background or characteristics, are
provided a safe environment in which to learn.

Regarding specific provisions, we agree with your proposal to require
states to include a bullying and harassment analysis in mandatory school
safety needs assessments. We also share your desire to require better
public reporting of bullying and harassment incidents and enhanced
coordination among relevant state agencies. We agree with you that
school districts should establish bullying and harassment prevention
programs, and appreciate your decision to provide support for the
related professional development needed to make these programs work
effectively. We also support your decision to require annual
communications to parents, including describing a local education
authority's (LEA) processes and procedures for addressing bullying and
harassment grievances. 

We applaud your crucial decision to define "bullying" and "harassment"
in the Discussion Draft, and to enumerate categories of students to be
protected from bullying and harassment. This definition will protect
highly vulnerable students while allowing local judgments regarding
additional bases of enumeration, based on local patterns of behavior or
concerns. A recent study concluded that students who attend schools with
anti-harassment policies that enumerate categories of students for
protection report that they feel safer (54% vs. 36%) and are less likely
to skip a class because they feel uncomfortable or unsafe (5% vs. 16%),
compared to students at schools with non-enumerated policies.[ii]
<outbind://133/#_edn2>  Correspondingly, specific enumerated policies
against bullying and harassment also make it more likely and easier for
educators to intervene when they witness bullying and harassment. More
than half of all teachers (53%) reported that bullying and harassment of
students is a serious problem in their school. Students noted that
teachers were more likely to intervene (25.3% vs. 12.3%) when bullying
occurred, and were more likely to do so successfully (55.7% vs. 38.7%),
if school policies included enumerated categories (compared to
non-enumerated policies).[iii] <outbind://133/#_edn3> 

Thank you again for addressing this important problem. The Committee's
Discussion Draft helps to bridge a critical gap in federal law. We look
forward to working with you throughout the reauthorization process and
would be pleased to provide any additional information you and your
staff may require. To respond to this letter, please contact Art Coleman
of Holland and Knight, LLP at (202) 955-3000.

Respectfully,

[SIGNATURES LISTED ALPHABETICALLY OF COALITION MEMBERS]

________________________________

[i] <outbind://133/#_ednref1>  U.S. Department of Education Office of
Safe and Drug-Free Schools, Bullying Prevention in Schools:
Research-Based Strategies for Educators, 11 The Challenge No. 3, (2003).

[ii] <outbind://133/#_ednref2>  Harris Interactive and GLSEN (2005).
>From Teasing to Torment: School Climate in America, A Survey of Students
and Teachers. New York: GLSEN.

[iii] <outbind://133/#_ednref3>  Ibid.

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--
Diedre Conkling

  Lincoln County Library District
  P.O. Box 2027, Newport, OR  97365
  Phone & Fax:  541-265-3066
  http://lcld.library-blogs.net/
  Work:  diedre at beachbooks.org
  Home:  diedrec at charter.net