Mayor-elect Vince Gray is backing a series of D.C. Council bills designed to force the city’s school system to crack down on bullying. The bills don’t enforce any specific rules. Instead, they mandate that the school system creates policies that define bullying behaviors, delineate standard procedures for reporting and investigating complaints, establish repercussions and protect children against future incidents. “Bullying fosters a climate of fear and disrespect that can significantly impair the physical and psychological health of its victims and … undermines the ability of students to reach their full potential,” Gray said at public hearing addressing the bills Monday morning. — Keith St. Clair
