Anti-Bullying Bill Passes Committee

Every seven seconds, a child in the US is bullied, and the Department of Mental Health found that 30% of Missouri kids are bullied on school property. Clearly, more comprehensive anti-bullying policies are needed to adequately protect our students. On February 9, which was also National Stop Bullying Day, the House Elementary and Secondary Education Committee passed House Bill 458, which I sponsored to strengthen schools’ anti-bullying policies.

House Bill 458 defines cyber-bullying and prohibits bullying on school property, at school functions, or on a school bus. It also outlines necessary provisions for schools’ anti-bullying policies, including protection for students who report bullying, investigation procedures, and requirements for staff to report bullying. Students, parents, and staff would receive notice of the school’s policy each year to ensure that everyone understands the expectations for proper behavior.

I have filed similar bills for several years, but they have always been stopped by individuals who want the legislation to outline specific classes of students who would be protected from bullying. House Bill 458 encompasses all students and requires that they be treated equally. Bullying is a harmful activity, regardless of who is bullied or why they are harassed. Childhood bullying has been linked to poor academic performance, absences from school, and health complications. Each and every child and their families deserve equal protection from the damaging consequences of bullying.

Since it was National Stop Bullying Day, I presented each committee member with a “Stop Bullying” clothes pin from CharacterPlus. Students at a recent CharacterPlus Student Summit designed the clothes pin campaign to take a united stand against bullying. Students across Missouri have participated in the clothes pin challenge by pinning each other with kind messages and sharing pictures of their pins on social media.

House Bill 458 will now move to the Select Committee on Education for further review and discussion. Protecting Missouri’s most valuable asset, our children, must remain a top priority for the legislature, and I am confident that my colleagues in the House will join me in preventing bullying in our schools.