Massachusetts Considers New Anti-Bullying Regulations

An advocate of bully prevention, Kelly Dillard recently appeared on the Anderson Cooper Show to discuss her experience as a victim of bullying. With her efforts, Kelly Dillard, a lifelong Texas resident, hopes to affect legislative action at the local, state, and national levels.

At the end of May 2013, lawmakers in Massachusetts proposed legislation that would update the state’s landmark 2010 anti-bullying laws. Spearheaded by Attorney General Martha Coakley, the initiative would require schools to compile information about individual bullying incidents and submit it to the Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education. Using this data, the department would then release an in-depth report detailing the frequency and nature of bullying in schools. Specifically, the report would provide insight into which demographics are most commonly subjected to bullying. Moreover, the new law would call upon schools to create and submit a plan to alleviate this critical problem school-wide. Finally, experts would design a survey that would measure students’ perceptions of bullying in their schools. Teachers would administer the poll every three years.