Ear Hustle

Anti-Bullying Bill Signed By Gov. Quinn

Finally something positive done down in Sprinfield!!!

I guess I can say IT’S ABOUT DARN TIME!!!

Quinn signs anti-bullying bill

 Pat-Quinn

If only a brand-new anti-bullying law had been in place when Mariah Reeves’ torment began several years ago in the 6th grade, she might have been spared depression and suicidal thoughts and hospital stays.

So 15-year-old Mariah beamed as Gov. Pat Quinn signed into law on Thursday measures that immediately force schools to not only have anti-bullying policies — which most do — but to clearly define bullying, lay out how to report it and tell parents how bullies and their victims will be treated, including a timeline for investigations. All schools are covered — charter schools and non-public schools, too, and schools must file their bullying prevention policies with the Illinois State Board of Education.

“A child who is bullied that’s a child who is fearful of learning, fearful of coming to school and we just can’t have that,” Quinn said at Skinner West Elementary School, 1260 W. Adams. “We can’t allow bullying to take place in a school or outside a school.”

State Rep. Kelly Cassidy (D-Chicago) said the law was needed because parents of bullied children felt they weren’t being heard at schools or finding safe solutions for their kids.

Mariah’s mother, Sandy Reeves, said she got little response from her daughter’s school and ended up starting Stand for the Silent to fight bullying. She said the in-school and cyberbullying her daughter endured landed the girl in the hospital.

Kyle Vogel of downstate Ladd, Ill., also left his high school after he was targeted and eventually beaten for not fitting in, and had to finish high school online and a year early.

“Today,” his mom, Renee Strugala said, “is a gamechanger in our lives.”

Source: Chicago SunTimes

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