US Representatives Raja Krishnamoorthi and Jenniffer González-Colón jointly reintroduced the State Taskforce Opportunity Program ("STOP") Bullying Act, which aims to encourage the creation of statewide anti-bullying task forces through a federal grant initiative under the Department of Education.
The task forces will focus on studying, addressing, and reducing bullying in primary and secondary schools, with a special focus on addressing the pervasive issue of bullying against LGBTQI+ students, a news release stated.
They will also bring together educators and community leaders to assess and enhance bullying prevention measures in elementary and secondary schools. They are also expected to collaborate with other state boards and commissions to ensure consistency and positive outcomes for students.
Ultimately, each task force will be responsible for delivering a comprehensive report to the Chief Education Officer of the state and the U.S. Secretary of Education. This report will encompass task force findings, legislative recommendations, effective strategies for reducing and preventing hostile school environments, and initiatives to raise awareness among parents and school staff.
“Every child deserves a healthy environment to learn and grow in the classroom and their social environment. The presence of bullying in K-12 schools across our country increases student exposure to adverse childhood experiences, which contribute to not only unsatisfactory educational outcomes but also to poor mental health outcomes across the lifespan.,” said Congressman Raja Krishnamoorthi.
“The STOP Bullying Act addresses hostile school environments by building on successful state-level initiatives and establishing a new grant program to incentivize and fund state taskforces combating bullying by working with communities to make schools safer for all children, regardless of their actual or perceived race, colour, national origin, sex, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity, or religion,” he added.
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