House committee to consider anti-bullying bill

With a recent student suicide in the U.P., the Michigan Legislature is again taking up the issue of bullying. From the Associated Press:

LANSING, Mich. (AP) — A proposal that would require Michigan schools to adopt anti-bullying policies is up for debate again in the state Legislature.

The House Education Committee on Thursday is scheduled to address a bill designed to better protect students from harassment. Similar measures have been introduced by Michigan lawmakers for nearly a decade without gaining final approval and becoming state law.

Supporters of the legislation say Michigan schools should be required to do more to ensure a safe environment for students. Schools would be asked to include measures to investigate bullying complaints.

Anti-harassment measures have been backed by the family of an East Lansing student who killed himself in 2002 after a bullying incident.

The bill that will be debated is HB 4580. It calls for school districts and academies to come up with anti-bullying policies and submit them to the state education department, which will report back to the legislature.