Bullying can devastate children, families and communities, with the effects potentially lasting into adulthood. That’s why the Senate voted this week to strengthen our state’s anti-bullying laws.
In 2007, the Legislature approved a bill that required school districts to have anti-bullying policies and to collect and report data on incidents of bullying and harassment. It was heralded as one of the best policies in the country at the time. It gave school districts the latitude to carry out the policy as they saw fit, as long as they reported their results to the state. That flexibility made for big reporting differences among school districts.
For example, Des Moines School District recorded 98 incidents of bullying in a one year. That same year, Davenport School District, which is half the size of Des Moines, recorded 642 incidents of bullying. According to the federal Government Accountability Office, four nationwide surveys show that up to 28 percent of students say they are bullied during a school year. However, in Iowa, school bullying reports show less than 2 percent of students have been bullied in any given year since the state passed its anti-bullying law in 2007.
Reports and investigations of bullying behavior increase when educators and students are trained and become more knowledgeable about bullying and harassment. That is supported by the results of Davenport’s high-quality, evidence-based bullying prevention program.
Governor Branstad has pushed for expanded anti-bullying laws, including cracking down on cyberbullying. Senate File 2318 provides $1 million to establish an Office of Support & Analysis for Safe Schools to coordinate and implement efforts to prevent and respond to harassment and bullying. Competitive grants will promote high-quality bully prevention and positive school climate programs for the Iowa schools most in need.
This bill is a step toward improving safety for all Iowa kids.