A bipartisan agreement has been reached to fix New Jersey’s anti-bullying law—considered the toughest in the nation—following complaints by school districts that it was financially burdensome.
Gov. Chris Christie announced support last week for an amended bill backed by both parties that will be fast-tracked through the legislature. It will add $1 million to the Bullying Prevention Fund to help districts meet the law’s requirements, and will create a task force to assist with implementation of the measure.
The Anti-Bullying Bill of Rights requires schools to adopt anti-bullying policies, train teachers to deal with the issue, and designate staff members to investigate student complaints of intimidation, even when the alleged incident has occurred off school grounds.
Instances of bullying must also be reported to the state department of education.
