The District and Montana are the only places in the country without an anti-bullying law on the books. But that could change soon: The D.C. Council is preparing to act on a long-neglected bill to prevent bullying in the city’s public schools, offering immunity and protection for those who report bullying.
The Youth Bullying Prevention Act of 2012 was introduced under a different name in January 2011 but never made much legislative progress. The revived bill would require all District agencies that work with youth to implement a bullying prevention policy, and to ensure that victims and witnesses who report bullying don’t face retaliation. The bill also directs Mayor Vincent Gray to create a task force across agencies and review the effectiveness of anti-bullying strategies every two years.
