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https://www.legis.state.pa.us/cfdocs/Legis/CSM/showMemoPublic.cfm?chamber=H&SPick=20130&cosponId=10133
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House of Representatives
Session of 2013 - 2014 Regular Session

MEMORANDUM

Posted: December 17, 2012 09:20 AM
From: Representative Dom Costa
To: All House members
Subject: Co-sponsorship of Legislation - Applying Bullying Provisions of Public School Code to Nonpublic Schools (Former HB2195 of 2012)
 
In the near future, I plan to re-introduce legislation that will amend Section 1303.1-A of the
Public School Code to require nonpublic schools to adopt a bullying policy and to review this
policy annually with students. It is my sincere hope you will join me in this effort.

The statistics regarding bullying are truly alarming. For example, in a 2009 nationally-
representative sample of youth grades 9-12, 19.9 percent reported being bullied on school
property in the 12 months preceding the survey. The prevalence was higher among females
(21.2 percent) than males (18.7 percent). Additionally, bullying generally peaks in middle
childhood, and decreases over the high school years. According to a recent U.S. Department of
Justice survey, almost 43 percent of 6th graders report having been bullied, compared to about 24
percent of 12th graders. Bullying can have lasting psychological effects on victims, and
continues to be a problem of national implications – disrupting a child’s learning environment
and, all too often, their life.

Currently, all public school entities in Pennsylvania are required to have a bullying policy in
place and must review this policy each year with students. The policy must delineate
disciplinary consequences for bullying and identify the appropriate school staff person to receive
reports of alleged bullying. As we all know, however, bullying is not strictly confined to public
schools. Considering this, my legislation will amend Section 1303.1-A of the Public School
Code to require nonpublic schools to devise similar bullying policies by January 1, 2014. My
legislation will help ensure that all students across Pennsylvania, regardless of what school they
attend, know the consequences of bullying and where to go for help if they see bullying
occurring at their school or are victims themselves.

Children should be able to learn in an environment where they feel safe and comfortable.


Prior Co-sponsors: BISHOP, K. BOYLE, BRADFORD, V. BROWN, CALTAGIRONE, DALEY,
DAVIS, DEASY, DeLUCA, FABRIZIO, JOSEPHS, KORTZ, MAHONEY, MATZIE, McGEEHAN,
MOUL, M. O’BRIEN, QUINN, READSHAW, STABACK, STURLA, VULAKOVICH,
YOUNGBLOOD, THOMAS, RAVENSTAHL AND MULLERY.



Introduced as HB44