SPRINGFIELD, Ill. – Legislators in Springfield are working on a bill that seeks to address bullying issues in schools.
The bill has already passed the House and is making its way through the Senate.
State Senator Sara Fiegenholtz (D-Chicago) says more can be done to address the issue.
“Although there has been significant work in Illinois to address the issue of bullying, students actually are continuing to be harmed greatly and presenting with depression, anxiety, and low academic achievement. Many of them drop out of school,” Fiegenholtz said.
One of the measures in the bill would require schools to notify parents if their child has been bullied, within 24 hours of administrators learning about the incident. It would also apply to include incidents of cyber bullying.
There have been concerns raised about the burden and feasibility placed on school districts with the 24-hour time limit.
“We are concerned about what that would mean for an administrator, if they happen to see an email at 4:00 on a Saturday,” says Alison Maley of the Illinois Principals Association. “If they are out of town, if they are on vacation, they may have to go into the building to access parent communication and information.”
The bill would also expand the definition of bullying to include physical appearance, homelessness, socioeconomic state, and pregnancy.
