100th District State Representative C.D. Davidsmeyer says that the discussions around bullying need to be age appropriate in Illinois schools.
House Bill 1411 seeks to amend the Illinois School Code to establish a clearer definition of what constitutes a policy on bullying. Specifically, it emphasizes that such policies need to be age and developmentally appropriate, ensuring that they are tailored to the needs of students at different stages of their education.
Davidsmeyer introduced the bill to the Illinois House after a concerned parent in his district came forward about appropriate teaching about bullying: “I think bullying is a major issue certainly all the way through school. I think most of us [in the General Assembly] probably receive a little bit of bullying – political bullying – every now and then. So, it doesn’t end once you are out of school. But I think this is kind of a first small – I’ll call it a baby step to a much larger, much bigger discussion that we need to have.”
Illinois law requires each school district and private school to create, maintain, and implement a policy on bullying, which must be filed with the Illinois State Board of Education. House Bill 1411 has been placed on a second reading for a short debate as of March 5th and awaits a vote from the full Illinois House of Representatives.