WHAT'S IT GOING TO TAKE?

To the Editor:

What's it going to take for Pennsylvania – its policy makers, its educators, its parents, its students, its Internet and phone service providers and its law enforcement community – to come together to do something to end student bullying and intimidation?

It is appalling that it may have taken what has been described as a threat of near Columbine proportions to provide the wake up call.  Ask any of the students who have fallen victim to this crime (or their parents), and you'll likely be asked, "What took so long?"

For the past few years, I've worked diligently in Harrisburg to try to pass a state law to require public school districts to adopt anti-bullying and anti-intimidation policies. Unfortunately, the issue hasn't ranked as high as other policy issues before the state.

Since I began my efforts, I have heard from many parents and students who have been frustrated by a system that doesn't provide them with an immediate and viable solution to end the name calling and threats – whether verbal or physical.

Bullying is not simply a child's right of passage. Bullying is not simply name calling. It is harassment – whether it is delivered in person, via the Internet or over the cellular phone through text messaging. And until we deliver the message that immediate action will be taken when this type of harassment occurs, and until we let students know that they don't risk retaliation for reporting rumored threats, we will not be doing everything that we can to end the harassment.

I applaud the school districts in Pennsylvania that already have taken it upon themselves to adopt policies that address this harassment head-on. I encourage other school districts to make bullying and intimidation prevention a priority. It is time that Pennsylvania answers our children's cries for help when it comes to bullying and intimidation with something more than a platitude about sticks and stones. Let's make it a priority to give students (and their parents) a safe place to turn for immediate help and an end to the harassment. Let's make school a safe haven of learning, free from harassment for all students. If you agree, then write to your legislators and ask them to move the anti-bullying legislation on a state level.

Sincerely,
Connie Williams
State Senator
17^th District