AFT Supports Anti-Bullying Legislation

WASHINGTON—Statement of American Federation of Teachers President Randi Weingarten on legislation sponsored by Rep. Dan Donovan (R-N.Y.) requiring President Trump to create an anti-bullying roundtable of education stakeholders, including a bullied child, who would produce a report on best practices for schools and educators:

“Unchecked bullying can poison an entire school culture and devastate the lives of not just those who are bullied but also their families, friends and community. Studies show that as many as one-quarter of American students are bullied with some frequency. The AFT has called for and designed professional development on schoolwide and districtwide anti-bullying policies and practices, on creating safe and accessible ways to report and address bullying through restorative justice, and on using resources—including those on the AFT’s Share My Lesson—to help educators deal with this destructive behavior. And through our ‘See a Bully, Stop a Bully: Make a Difference’ campaign, we have raised awareness and provided resources and training to educators, students and parents.

“Rep. Dan Donovan has a sensible approach to helping schools address, discuss and combat bullying. His legislation would require President Trump to create a roundtable of education stakeholders, including a teacher, guidance counselor, child psychologist and bullied child, to produce a report on best practices for schools and educators. Bullying is pervasive in all areas of the country, and this legislation should pass overwhelmingly on a bipartisan basis.”