The week before Thanksgiving 2010 has been a busy one for NJWAN supported NJ legislators. First the state assembly pushes to restore life saving family planning funds and then NJ legislators pass an anti-bullying bill. This bill would require schools to have a zero-tolerance policy for bullying and harassment. What makes this bill a potential success, compared to the ambiguous 2002 anti-bullying law, is this bill outlines what it means to not tolerate bullying and the processes involved in ensuring all students feel safe and free from harassment. A zero-tolerance policy for harassment is key to promoting one of NJWAN’s favorite traits…tolerance.
This bill was introduced late the week of November 15th and quickly moved through both NJ state houses, passing 71-1 in the Assembly and 35-0 in the Senate. The bill now moves to Governor Christie’s desk where legislators are unsure of his intentions. If this bill is approved by Governor Christie, it will give NJ the strictest anti-bullying laws in the nation. This anti-bullying/anti-harassment measure is intended to fill the gaps of a 2002 law that encouraged NJ schools to have policies surrounding repercussions for bullying but did not require them. The new anti-bullying law mandates that public high school employees be trained to identify bullying and properly address complaints. The NJ State Board of Education will play a significant role in ensuring schools do not tolerate harassment by grading school districts on how they handle incidents of bullying, all of which must be reported by the school’s superintendents.
Fortifying anti-bullying policies has garnered increasing support in NJ after Rutgers University freshman, Tyler Clementi, committed suicide in September. Clementi’s death was in response to homophobic cyber bullying and was not addressed by the existing Rutgers policies and support systems. The Clementi family released a statement of support for this bill stating that it “reflects the public's increased awareness of the need for a renewal of values of respect for human dignity and personal privacy, particularly for young people in this time of rapidly evolving technology.”
While this bill will create a more secure environment in NJ’s elementary, middle and high schools, it does little for higher education institutions, like Rutgers where Clementi experienced harassment. Public colleges and universities will only be required to have an anti-bullying policy written into their code of conduct. While this is a step in the right direction, there is a great difference between stating that there is a zero-tolerance policy in place and enforcing that policy. Without actual support from university staff and student leaders, homophobic, racist, sexist and classist bullying can continue to plague adolescents and young adults. A quick glance at the comments below any online news coverage of this bill (http://www.northjersey.com/news/112210_Both_houses_to_vote_on_NJ_anti-bullying_bill.html?c=y&page=2 ) demonstrates the intolerance that perpetuates bullying.
Intolerant rhetoric furthers the need for anti-bullying policy, but it does not build confidence for us at New Jersey Women and AIDS Network in the efficacy of such measures. Schools are limited to preventing and punishing bullying that occurs on school property. While NJWAN understands it would be unconstitutional to prosecute bullying that occurs elsewhere, in this age of technology bullying is pervasive and can occur on our phones, computers and personal networking sites, as well as our classrooms.
NJWAN’s hopes that a zero-tolerance for bullying bill can shape younger generations to be more tolerant but remains concerned about other pervasive and intolerant influences. Stigma, whether towards people living with HIV or based in homophobia, is toxic and is killing people. As the holiday season approaches, please keep in mind those suffering from stigma and intolerance and be mindful of your own biases. We hope for younger generations to be more tolerant but the burden does not fall entirely on them.
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