The Bully Law in Colorado

Many states have passed anti-bullying laws.

Colorado is one of the leading states in anti-bully legislation aimed to protect students in its public schools. Turning the terrible legacy of the Columbine High School shootings into a mandate to make the school environment safe for every child, the state continues to focus on preventing other bully-incited violence from harming its students.

History

Colorado is one of a minority of states in the union that have enacted legislation regarding bullying in schools. Much of this legislation was lawmakers' responses to the 1999 shooting spree at Colorado's Columbine High School, in which two students, who were victims of repeated bullying, responded with deadly retaliation. The state government passed the Colorado Bullying Prevention Act in 2000. It mandates that each school district in Colorado formally identify safety as a priority in every school. Each school must follow up with an annual report to the Colorado Department of Education detailing its bullying prevention activities.

Features

Sometimes bullying leads to tragic consequences.

The Colorado legislation defines bullying to mean "any written or verbal expression, or physical act or gesture, or a pattern thereof, that is intended to cause distress upon one or more students in the school, on school grounds, in school vehicles, as a designated school bus stop, or at school activities or sanctioned events."

Characteristics

According to the Colorado Board of Education, the characteristics of bullying include aggressive behavior, harmful intent, a pattern of repeated harassment, and an imbalance of power that gives one person the ability to hurt the other.

Types

You might not expect bullying to occur by computer.

The Colorado Board of Education identifies several types of bullying. Verbal aggression includes teasing, verbal abuse, spreading rumors and threats. Physical bullying occurs when one student physically assaults, trips, pushes or hurts another. Cyber bullying, also called online social cruelty, occurs via email and instant messaging, in chat rooms, on websites or gaming sites, and through text messaging on cell phones.

Timeline

In 1999, the year of the Columbine shootings, the Colorado Attorney General's Office began publication of an annually updated handbook entitled Colorado School Violence Prevention and School Discipline Manual.
In 2000, the governor of Colorado appointed a Columbine Review Commission to study the tragedy and provide recommendations for the prevention of violence in schools. Also in this year, the legislature passed the Safe Schools Act.
In 2002, to create safe and civil learning environments in public schools, the Colorado Department of Education launched its Positive Behavior Support initiative.
In 2004, the Safe 2 Tell Hotline and Awareness Campaign received funding to provide a 24/7 call center staffed by certified emergency personnel to take student, parent and faculty calls in an attempt to avert violence in the schools.
By 2006, Colorado reported 100% compliance in its schools with the Safe School Act's requirements.
In 2007, the Colorado General Assembly passed a bill in support of the Safe 2 Tell program.
In 2008, the governor signed a legislative bill creating Colorado's School Safety Resource Center for preventing, preparing for, and responding to crisis situations in schools. Also in this year, the legislature expanded the Safe School Act to include charter schools.
April 20, 2009, was the 10th anniversary of the Columbine shootings.

References

• Samsa Pathways Courses: Bully Law
• Colorado: Bully Legislation
• Colorado Board of Education: Bullying Characteristics