Editorial

An anti-bulling law was recently passed in Massachusetts after two boys hanged themselves due to bullying at their schools. The law classifies bullying as, “The severe or repeated use by one or more students of a written, verbal or electronic expression, or a physical act or gesture or any combination thereof, directed at another student that has the effect of: causing physical or emotional harm to the other student or damage to the other student’s property; placing the other student in reasonable fear of harm to himself or to his property; creating a hostile environment at school for the other student; infringing on the rights of the other student at school; or materially and substantially disrupting the education process or the orderly operation of a school.”

Moreover, the law could quite possibly have the potential to impose upon student’s constitutional right of freedom of speech.

However, a law that also requires every student from kindergarten through 12th grade to participate in anti-bullying behavior may not completely stop bullying; it CAN help the world take a step forward to ending bullying altogether.

The law considers property damage to a student’s personal items “bullying.” Property damage is not included in the freedom of speech aspect, because it’s not a spoken part of the bullying definition. The law also includes physical assault as bullying, too. This also is not included in the freedom of speech part. There are several other points to this bullying law than the freedom of speech argument.

Although students are constitutionally protected to say what they want, they should be more aware of the effect the things they say has on other people. They should be told the stories of what happens when kids are bullied and how that can be prevented. The anti-bullying curriculum should strongly advise the ‘if you don’t have anything to say, don’t say anything at all,’ policy.

The new anti-bullying law in Massachusetts is a great idea as far as taking that first step forward to ending bullying, though it must be acknowledged that it will NOT be the solution.

Original story here