This week, the Board of Education for the San Diego Unified School District unanimously approved a historic Bullying, Harassment and Intimidation Prohibition policy, plus voted to support Assembly Bill 9 that would require every school district in the state to establish similar policies.
“For the first time, our school district will have an anti-bullying policy,” said Kevin Beiser, an openly-gay member of the school board. “The school district’s primary role is to ensure students have a safe learning environment so that they may thrive. This is an important step to establish the expectation that we will act swiftly to protect students and create a climate of tolerance, not hate.”
Created by the Board of Education in October 2010, the Safe Schools Task Force developed the nondiscrimination policy. District leadership, administrators, teachers, counselors, LGBT community advocates and organizations, elected officials and members of the faith community were all a part of the Safe Schools Task Force.
“We came together with an extremely strong, moral imperative in which we all believe bullying is absolutely unacceptable,” said Dr. Nellie Meyer, Deputy Superintendent of Academics, and co-chair of the Task Force.
That policy states that the school district will not tolerate any student or staff member being bullied, harassed or intimidated in any form at school or school-related events and mandates intervention.
“Research shows that creating safer schools for all our students requires a concerted community effort,” said Dr. Delores Jacobs prior to the District’s meeting. Jacobs is the Executive Director of the LGBT Community Center, and serves with Meyer as co-chair of the Task Force. “We look forward to the passage of this language and the opportunity to continue to move forward on this vitally important issue.”
Before voting at their April 12 meeting, the school board members listened to more than an hour of testimony from students, teachers, counselors and community leaders, representing every aspect of the gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender and allied communities. After public comments, the board members voted 5-0 in favor of the policy; the majority of those in attendance responded with a standing ovation.
After adopting the anti-bulling policy for the San Diego schools, the Board of Education also approved a resolution in support of AB9. It also passed with a unanimous vote.
Referred to as Seth’s Law, the bill would require every California school to establish policies to prevent bullying and be responsive to complaints about bullying. It is named after Seth Walsh, a 13-year-old student who took his own life after harassment based on his sexual orientation.
“I can’t bring my son back. But schools can make a difference today by taking harassment and bullying seriously when parents or students tell them about it, and when they see it in the halls,” said Wendy Walsh, Seth’s mother, in a statement released by Equality California.
The Safe Schools Task Force now begins its next phase of work, developing the associated procedures and processes, accompanying training and prevention programs in order for the policy to begin being implemented in the 2011-2012 school year.
“First, let’s not underestimate what we’ve just accomplished. This is a historic anti-bulling policy that will protect our kids in San Diego schools,” Beiser told the San Diego LGBT Weekly after the vote. “This policy establishes the expectation that bullying of LGBT people will not be tolerated whatsoever in San Diego schools. That’s an important step. That’s a step that has never been taken before in this city.
“Now what we are going to do is define specific guidelines for reporting, investigation and timeline,” he added.
In addition to Jacobs and Meyer, the Task Force included participation by Superintendent Bill Kowba, Board President Richard Barrera, Beiser, and administrators and teachers. Community organizations include the: Anti-Defamation League; California Faith for Equality; California School Employees Association; City of San Diego Human Relations Commission; Gay, Lesbian and Straight Education Network (GLSEN); Parents and Friends of Lesbians and Gays (PFLAG); Trevor Project; San Diego Education Association; and The Center. Staff representatives from the offices of State Senator Christine Kehoe and State Assemblywoman Toni Atkins also participated.
“School should be a haven, a safe place to learn, grow, and be who we are, free from fear and intimidation,” Atkins said. “The proposed policy makes a strong statement that bullying will not be tolerated in our schools and sends an important message to bullies and victims alike.”
“As someone who was bullied,” said City Councilman Todd Gloria in a press statement, “it means a great deal to me to know that our neighbors, community leaders and educators are joining forces to bring forward a policy that will give every child a better chance to succeed, both in school and in life.”
