By a unanimous vote, the House of Representatives passed the Anti-Bullying Bill sponsored by Norwood state Rep. John H. Rogers to fight bullying and cyber-bullying in the schools of the Commonwealth. The legislation applies to public schools, charter schools and schools providing special education services to students for school districts.
The bill prohibits bullying at school including school-sponsored events, on school buses and at school bus stops as well as the use of electronic devices to commit cyber-bullying. The ban on bullying includes bullying or cyber-bullying that takes place outside of school if the bullying affects the school environment.
A bullying/cyberbullying bill (similar to the one that passed in California in 2009) became legislation in Massachusetts this week. It requires training of teachers and students, reporting and investigation into cyberbullying incidents by school administrators if the bullying incidents that take place on campus, at school-sponsored events or bullying that affects the school environment.