Six members of the D.C. Council voiced support Thursday afternoon for proposed anti-bullying legislation, almost enough to ensure approval in a May 2 hearing about the measure.
The effort was part of Mayor Vincent Gray’s “Bully Free DC” day, during which 30 local organizations gathered on the steps outside the Wilson building to garner public support for a bill that would prohibit harassment and intimidation in D.C. schools, libraries and parks.
Bullying has become an epidemic in recent years, with more than half of students being harassed, said Councilman Harry Thomas, D-Ward 5 — though only three out of five report any incident. The problem, which occurs both in person and online, is more acute for gay and bisexual youth, with nine out of 10 of those students reporting harassment in the past year because of sexuality.
Bullying leads to high truancy — five times that of their unharassed counterparts — and ultimately dropouts, depression and possible suicide, Thomas said.
“It is appalling that children are afraid to go to school,” state board of education member Mary Lord said, adding that she wants harassed students to feel comfortable reporting problems.
“If we can’t speak up we will never move forward.”
D’Angelo Morrison, 20, a D.C. Public Schools graduate and now a Sexual Minority Youth Assistance League intern, said he was constantly harassed because of his sexuality, despite being a good student.
“I felt unwanted, ugly, unimportant and depressed,” he said, adding he thinks the legislation is a good first step.
However, Morrison was one of only a few youths at the rally, held during the schools’ spring break.
“I think they could’ve done it on a different day, maybe at a school so students could hear about the problem,” he said. But parent and youth league volunteer Frieda Smith said the rally was held when it was needed.
“What this does is give the adults, who are the guiders, the support they need to back up actions,” she said.
