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June 22nd, 2010, 11:13 PM
New York Senate Passes Dignity for All Students Act, State to Become 10th to Enact Enumerated Anti-Bullying Law
NEW YORK - The New York State Senate late tonight passed the Dignity for All Students Act (DASA), an enumerated anti-bullying bill that includes protections from bullying and discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation and gender identity/expression.
The bill already passed in the Assembly and now goes to Gov. David A. Paterson, who is expected to sign the bill.
If signed, New York will become the 10th state to enact an enumerated anti-bullying law that includes a list of characteristics most often targeted by bullies, which research shows is more effective than a general anti-bullying law.
"This is a watershed moment for New York schools, which are about to get safer for all students. GLSEN applauds the New York State Legislature for taking comprehensive action against all forms of bullying and ensuring that all students are protected under the law," GLSEN Executive Director Eliza Byard said. " After 10 long years of work to pass this legislation, GLSEN is pleased that New York will now join nine other states that have passed effective, enumerated safe schools legislation."
"We also congratulate the hard work of the Dignity for All Students Act Coalition, including the Empire State Pride Agenda, New York Civil Liberties Union, NYSUT, and the Anti-Defamation League, whose dedication to safe schools and leadership on this effort made this victory possible."
GLSEN has been working on this bill since it was first introduced in 1999. The bill has passed the Assembly seven times but failed to pass the Education Committee in each instance until this session.
The eight other states that have enumerated anti-bullying laws are California, Illinois, Iowa, Maryland, New Jersey, North Carolina, Oregon, Vermont and Washington.
Three additional states (Colorado, Maine and Minnesota) have nondiscrimination laws that include protections based on sexual orientation and gender identity/expression, which GLSEN considers necessary for a state to have a safe schools law.
GLSEN's From Teasing to Torment: A Report on School Climate in New York, based on students in New York state who were part of a national study of secondary school students, found that more than five out of ten (52%) students reported that they were harassed because they were or were perceived to be lesbian, gay or bisexual - even as only 5% identified as being so.
Further, LGBT students in New York face extreme victimization. Inside New York Schools: The Experiences of LGBT Students, a research brief based on New York students who participated in GLSEN's 2007 National School Climate Survey, found that 79% of LGBT students in New York had been verbally harassed in the past year because of their sexual orientation.
"Such widespread support for an enumerated bill gives us even more hope that Congress will follow suit and pass the Safe Schools Improvement Act so that students across the country will have the same protections," GLSEN Director of Public Policy Shawn Gaylord said. The Safe Schools Improvement Act is a federal anti-bullying bill introduced in the House with 114 bipartisan cosponsors that would require schools that receive federal funding to have enumerated anti-bullying policies.
NEW YORK - The New York State Senate late tonight passed the Dignity for All Students Act (DASA), an enumerated anti-bullying bill that includes protections from bullying and discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation and gender identity/expression.
The bill already passed in the Assembly and now goes to Gov. David A. Paterson, who is expected to sign the bill.
If signed, New York will become the 10th state to enact an enumerated anti-bullying law that includes a list of characteristics most often targeted by bullies, which research shows is more effective than a general anti-bullying law.
"This is a watershed moment for New York schools, which are about to get safer for all students. GLSEN applauds the New York State Legislature for taking comprehensive action against all forms of bullying and ensuring that all students are protected under the law," GLSEN Executive Director Eliza Byard said. " After 10 long years of work to pass this legislation, GLSEN is pleased that New York will now join nine other states that have passed effective, enumerated safe schools legislation."
"We also congratulate the hard work of the Dignity for All Students Act Coalition, including the Empire State Pride Agenda, New York Civil Liberties Union, NYSUT, and the Anti-Defamation League, whose dedication to safe schools and leadership on this effort made this victory possible."
GLSEN has been working on this bill since it was first introduced in 1999. The bill has passed the Assembly seven times but failed to pass the Education Committee in each instance until this session.
The eight other states that have enumerated anti-bullying laws are California, Illinois, Iowa, Maryland, New Jersey, North Carolina, Oregon, Vermont and Washington.
Three additional states (Colorado, Maine and Minnesota) have nondiscrimination laws that include protections based on sexual orientation and gender identity/expression, which GLSEN considers necessary for a state to have a safe schools law.
GLSEN's From Teasing to Torment: A Report on School Climate in New York, based on students in New York state who were part of a national study of secondary school students, found that more than five out of ten (52%) students reported that they were harassed because they were or were perceived to be lesbian, gay or bisexual - even as only 5% identified as being so.
Further, LGBT students in New York face extreme victimization. Inside New York Schools: The Experiences of LGBT Students, a research brief based on New York students who participated in GLSEN's 2007 National School Climate Survey, found that 79% of LGBT students in New York had been verbally harassed in the past year because of their sexual orientation.
"Such widespread support for an enumerated bill gives us even more hope that Congress will follow suit and pass the Safe Schools Improvement Act so that students across the country will have the same protections," GLSEN Director of Public Policy Shawn Gaylord said. The Safe Schools Improvement Act is a federal anti-bullying bill introduced in the House with 114 bipartisan cosponsors that would require schools that receive federal funding to have enumerated anti-bullying policies.