Tedisco: New Law to Blow the Whistle on Bullying

Assemblyman calls for legislation to require parental notification by schools when a child is threatened by a bully

May 7, 2012

Assemblyman Jim Tedisco (R,C,I-Schenectady-Saratoga) today called for new legislation to require parental notification by a school when a school official witnesses bullying or a child reports that their safety is threatened by a bully.

T’yanna Lockridge, an 11-year-old girl from Schenectady, was recently badly beaten by other girls in the presence of a school aide outside Yates Elementary School while she was on her way to the Boys and Girls Club. Prior to this incident, Lockridge reported to school officials that she was being bullied and feared for her safety.

The school did not notify Lockridge’s parents of the child’s fears of being attacked because the school does not have a parental notification policy for when a student says they are being bullied, according to the Daily Gazette. The alleged bullies posted video of the beating on Facebook.

"The bullying and violence that T’yanna experienced is something no child should have to experience, and no school should withhold from parents vital safety information that their child fears being bullied. It’s time to blow the whistle on bullying," said Tedisco, former Minority Leader and current Assistant Minority Whip.

Tedisco is drafting new legislation to require schools to make a good faith effort to notify a parent or guardian of a child who reports to school officials that they fear they are a target of bullies. The measure also would require any school official that witnesses bullying to report the incident to the child’s parents and to the parents of the alleged bullies.

Tedisco also is a co-sponsor of legislation (A.9125) that prohibits harassment, intimidation or bullying in schools.

What's New