Hillary Clinton’s campaign unveiled a plan Thursday to provide $500 million in new funding to states to help combat bullying.
The initiative, “Better Than Bullying,” also serves as an opportunity for the Clinton campaign to draw attention to GOP nominee Donald Trump’s many controversial remarks regarding women, minorities and various members of the press.
“From mocking a reporter with a disability, to demeaning women for their appearance, to calling Mexican immigrants ‘rapists’ and ‘criminals,’ Donald Trump has made no apologies to the growing list of people that he has attempted to bully since the launch of his hate-filled campaign,” her campaign said in a statement made available to the Washington Examiner.
“Trump’s divisive rhetoric has encouraged an increase in hurtful behavior and intimidation that is being reported in communities across the country,” it added, “Experts are calling it the ‘Trump Effect,’ and the Southern Poverty Law Center reported that Trump’s campaign ‘is producing an alarming level of fear and anxiety among children of color and inflaming racial and ethnic tensions in the classroom.'”
The Democratic nominee’s team also hosted a call with reporters Thursday in which guest speakers, including former Rep. Tony Coelho, D-Calif., and Randi Weingarten, president of the American Federation of Teachers, explained that Trump’s candidacy underscores the need for anti-bullying programs.
“One of the things we are most concerned about in the disability community is getting rid of the stigma that has existed for years and years. We were making tremendous progress when it comes to that. My really strong belief is that Donald Trump has brought hate back,” Coelho, who helped push the Americans with Disabilities Act, told reporters Thursday.
“When you have a candidate who is a nominee for president of one of our legitimate parties who is openly mocking, openly stigmatizing those of us with disabilities, that is a huge setback,” he said.
Weingarten added separately, “This election cycle – with candidates like Donald Trump using the currency of hate, fear and marginalization – has made combating bullying a more urgent issue. Trump is a bully’s bully, and the consequences of his actions will last far beyond Nov. 8.”
The Clinton campaign said the $500 million investment would allow states to tailor anti-bullying initiatives as they see fit, as long as they address several specific issues.
Those include developing laws that ban bullying based on race, color, sex and religion, “making the Internet a safer space for kids by addressing cyberbullying,” “supporting educators working to improve school climate” and providing support for those who’ve been bullied.
The announced initiative comes just one day after the Clinton campaign released an ad, titled “Bryce,” in which the title character, who suffers frmo muscular dystrophy, explains how he handled being bullied.
Clinton’s $500 million proposal also comes on the heels of Trump’s third wife, Melania, announcing that she would make combating online bullying the chief focus of her tenure as first lady.
“I see now in 21st century, the social media, it’s very damaging for the children,” Melania Trump said earlier this month in an interview with CNN. “We need to guide them and teach them about social media because I see a lot of negativity on it and we need to help them.”
