The Representative of Arlington, Texas Governor Diane Patrick endorses Texas HB 1942. The policy contains provisions regarding anti-bullying in the educational setting. The said law mandates the educational institutions to reprimand bullies particularly originating from the said environment . However, inclusive of the said law is a specification that gives schools the authority to reprimand bullies even if the bullying occurs outside of the school premises. These include, but is not limited to, social networking sites, e-mails, text messages and other physical environment like another person’s house or in public areas like malls, arcades, etc. However, many are not very keen about this inclusion in HB 1942. According to many, the school should not have this extended authority. For this paper, it will extend the merit of why the said inclusion is favorable for every people concern especially the one bullied.
Majority of bullying originates within the school premises. In fact, in a study conducted in 1995 indicated that 1/3 of the students in 22 Canadian schools with students between ages 4 to 14 years old are involved in bullying . In addition, Frank Barone stated that while bullying occurs in the school this shouldn’t necessarily have to happen . Barone furthers that school-related bullying translate to the same trauma outside of the school if not prevented and cured from the grassroots. In lieu with this, it is therefore imperative that the people who are generally involved in the bullying—directly or indirectly should be actively involved in rectifying the problem. Hence, school authorities like teachers, the guidance counsellor and other members of the academe should be involved in the process. With this thought it mind, the inclusive provisions of HB 1942 are warranted. Teachers have full knowledge of the behavior of their students within the school. Usually, parents are kept in dark of their children’s personality outside of their household. Thus, they wouldn’t know if their students are victims or perpetrators of bullying because they do not have a clue of what image their kids project in the school . Likewise, students usually have greater fear of their teachers because of the repercussions that might be involved when they get in trouble at school with teachers having the power to control their future through their education. In conclusion, the inclusive provisions have merits for being implemented as it will have the capacity to control the impact of bullying.
Works Cited
Barone, Frank. "Bullying in School: It doesn't have to happen." September 1997. Kibbutzim College of Education Technology and the Arts Website. http://www.smkb.ac.il/Privweb/Sarah_Fei/AEPCourse/eng_acad_1b.pdf. 26 May 2015.
Charach, Alice. "Bullying at School: A Canadian Perspective." Education Canada (1995): 12-18. Print.
Patrick, Diane. "HB 1942 Bill Analysis." 2 May 2011. House Research Organization Website. http://www.hro.house.state.tx.us/pdf/ba82r/hb1942.pdf. 26 May 2015.
Pettit, Gregory S., John E. Bates and Kenneth A. Dodge. "Family interaction patterns and children's conduct problems at home and school: A longitudinal perspective." School Psychology Review (1993): 403-420. Print.
