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Massachusetts Passes Anti-Bullying Law Too Late for Phoebe Prince
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by Amy Judd | April 29, 2010 at 12:39 pm
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Massachusetts State Legislature Passes Anti-Bullying Law April 29
The Legislature all voted in favor of a new anti-bullying law in Massachusetts on Thursday April 29, and although it is too late for students such as Phoebe Prince and Carl Joseph Walker-Hoover, this new bill is hoping to prevent any further unnecessary deaths among young people who feel they have no one to turn to.
This new law will require all teachers and school employees to report any instance of bullying to the principal of the school and the principal must investigate the claims.
Bullying is not new. Bullying has been with us from time immemorial. But what has changed is that it appears to be more pervasive, more destructive," said Senator Robert A. O'Leary, Senate chairman of the Education Committee, as he introduced the bill in his chamber.
The vote was 38-0 in favor of the legislation according to The Boston Globe, and is designed to send a message that bullying of any kind will no longer be tolerated and ignored.
The bill will now make its way on to the desk of the Massachusetts governor where it has to be reviewed, however it will be a 'top priority'.
Phoebe Prince
Phoebe Prince was just 15-years-old when she committed suicide after being bulled at South Hadley High School by fellow students and then via texts and online using social networks. She had previously dated two boys at the school but after those relationships ended and after a dispute with several girls at the school, Prince could not take any more and took her own life.
Carl Joseph Walker-Hoover
Carl Joseph Walker-Hoover was just 11 when he committed suicide, also from the effects of being bullied day in and day out at New Leadership Charter School. Carl's mother has said that she previously tried to get the school administration to do something about her son's bullying, but they did nothing. Carl was being made fun of, and being called gay and he could not take it either.
Hopefully this new bill will prevent senseless acts of bullying and bring all bullies to justice.
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Most RecentMost Recommended Comments (1)
at 10:24 on May 3rd, 2010
Bullying behavior should also be monitored and stopped at work places. Bullying does not stop when people leave highschool, it happens in college and it also happens often in employment environments. One out of three workers reports bullying at work. The law doesn't go far enough to stop at highschool. The anti bullying law should extend to places of employment. Only certain minoritites are protected at work. Every person should be safe from on-going hostility at school, at work, in the neighborhood.