Keep schools safe: N.C. House should vote for the School Violence Prevention Act to outlaw bullying

Schools should be a safe haven for children not only from outside dangers but also from peer intimidation. The state should do everything in its power to ensure a safe learning environment.

That's why an N.C. House bill currently in committee needs to be brought to the floor for a vote as soon as possible.

This bill the School Violence Prevention Act will set a statewide definition for bullying and require public schools to have policies defining and prohibiting bullying.

An alternative bill No Bullying Anyone at Public Schools has been filed by representatives who think the School Violence Prevention Act will be ineffective.

House Minority Leader Rep. Paul Stam R-Wake" said the School Violence Prevention Act ""took focus away from the behavior that needed to be corrected and placed the focus on the internal thought process of the offenders.""

That may be true. But Rep. Susan Fisher" D-Buncombe said an anti-bullying law must be specific because there are certain groups that are more vulnerable to bullying than others.

The School Violence Prevention Act identifies these groups while the No Bullying Anyone at Public Schools bill does not.

We agree with Fisher that any effective anti-bullying law must be as unambiguous as possible.

Naming specific groups can unintentionally limit the scope of a bill or focus more on motives than behavior but laws with details and specifics can have a stronger impact.

The School Violence Prevention Act lists numerous characteristics that should be protected from bullying including religion gender sexual orientation disability and socioeconomic and academic status.

The bill also states that the characteristics listed are by no means all-inclusive.

It is the state's responsibility to ensure that children in public schools feel free to express themselves or simply be themselves without fearing their peers.

And the committee should act to fulfill that responsibility by bringing the School Violence Prevention Act out of committee to the floor of the House for a vote.