Easton committee looks to hold seminar on school bullying

Published March 20, 2010
The Enterprise of Brockton, Mass.

By Deirdre Watson

EASTON — The town’s Human Rights Committee wants to hold a seminar for parents to address bullying in the schools.

The committee members, at a monthly meeting recently at the police station, said they hope to meet with the school superintendent and other officials in April to discuss details about that seminar and when it could be held.

The move in Easton comes as the state Legislature moved last week to crack down on bullying in schools.

Massachusetts House of Representatives lawmakers unanimously approved a bill designed to clamp down on school bullies. The bill would ban bullying, require school districts to come up with bullying-prevention plans and expand the definition of bullying to include the growing problem of Internet cyber-bullying through the use of e-mails and text messages.

The legislation would also require school officials to inform parents of their anti-bullying curriculum and alert both the parents of bullies and the parents of their victims after a bullying incident.

House lawmakers approved the bill on a 148-0 vote after debating the measure for more than three hours.

But some critics said the legislation wasn’t tough enough and pushed to include language in the House bill that would have fined teachers and others for not reporting bullies.

“It’s a toothless wonder,” Rep. Robert S. Hargraves, R-Groton, said of the bill. The House rejected the amendment.

The Senate had already passed an anti-bullying measure and now the two bills will be reconciled in committee and voted again. Gov. Deval Patrick has indicated he will sign the measure.

The push for anti-bullying legislation has gained momentum following the recent suicides of students in South Hadley and Springfield.

In the past several months, the Easton Human Rights Committee has been working to identify the age group most in need of education about bullying and plans to target grades 3-5.

Colleen Corona, a committee member who is also a selectwoman, suggested School Superintendent Michael Greene come to an upcoming committee meeting to discuss bullying and what can be done to alleviate it.

After discussion among the committee, it was agreed representatives from three Oliver Ames High School groups – Best Buddies, Advocates for Community and Cultural Tolerance, and the Gay Straight Alliance – should also attend the meeting.

The committee also talked about inviting Wes Paul, Oliver Ames High School principal, and other Easton school principals, to the meeting.

A seminar for parents on both bullying online – or cyber-bullying – and other types of bullying is being considered.

Corona said other programs about children’s cyber safety have drawn many parents in the past and a cyber-bullying seminar may draw many parents.

“So many parents don’t know how to monitor what their children are doing online,” Corona said.