Illinois House Passes Anti-Bullying Measure HB5290 | March 30, 2012

As posted by 'chicagoist'...

An anti-bullying bill passed the Illinois House this week and is heading to the Senate. State Rep. Kelly Cassidy (D-Chicago) introduced the legislation, which emphasizes "restorative" measures over "punitive" measures when dealing with bullying at school.

Cassidy told ChicagoPride.com the legislation is a critical step to ensure children's safety, building on the The Safe Schools Act. ChicagoPride.com writes:

The measure, known as HB5290, would require the Illinois State Board of Education to create a "template for a model bullying prevention policy" that individual school districts would use when establishing policies.

"To get straight to the heart of bullying in our schools, it will take a comprehensive approach among parents and educators," Cassidy told the Windy City Times. "By giving school district the tools to combat bullying and working with the community to offer youth programming and professional development for staff, we can help ensure a safe and healthy learning environment for children and schools."

The bill was pushed through despite opposition from the House GOP caucus. Several GOP members defected to vote for the bill, which passed 61 to 49.

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