Earlier this month, the California State Senate approved Seth’s Law (AB 9), legislation designed to address the pervasive problem of school bullying. The bill is named in memory of Seth Walsh, a 13-year-old gay student from Tehachapi who took his life in September 2010 after facing relentless harassment at school.
Once it’s enacted, the bill will help provide California schools with tools to create a safe learning environment for all students. It will tighten and clarify anti-bullying policies at schools throughout the state by prohibiting harassment based on actual or perceived characteristics. Additionally, the bill will require school officials who witness bullying to immediately intervene and initiate a regulated investigation and resolution process.
“I want to thank my colleagues in the Senate for taking this important step forward to ensuring that schools have the necessary tools to prevent any young person from being bullied, harassed, or worse because of their sexual orientation, gender identity, and expression,” the bill’s author, Assemblyman Tom Ammiano (D-San Francisco), said in a press release. “As a former teacher, I know how important it is for our students to feel safe at school. We have a moral duty to our youth to prevent bullying, and Seth’s Law will help schools protect students and prevent and respond to bullying before a tragedy occurs.”
The publicity surrounding the deaths of Walsh and other students has triggered a national dialogue on the importance of anti-bullying policies. While California law already prohibits harassment at school, many LGBT groups argue schools don’t have the knowledge or tools to protect gay students and others from bullying
According to a 2010 report from the California Safe Schools Coalition, 42 percent of the state’s students who identify as lesbian, gay, or bisexual and 6 percent who identify as transgender said they’d been harassed at least once based on gender non-conformity.
Additionally, the California Healthy Kids Survey reports 27 percent of students who reported harassment based on actual or perceived sexual orientation said they missed school at least one day over a 30-day period because they felt unsafe.
Multiple reports have revealed that bullying and harassment can lead to falling grades, depression, and risk of suicide.
This article appears in Sep 15-22, 2011.