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Friday May 4, 2007
Attorney General Commends Legislature for Passing Legislation to Address Cyberbullying in Minnesota Schools
House Joins Senate in Passing Legislation to Protect Minnesota Schoolchildren from Online Bullying
Attorney General Lori Swanson today commended the Minnesota Legislature for passing legislation that addresses the growing problem of cyberbullying in Minnesota schools.
In the past, those who engaged in bullying did so in person, but today bullies use instant messaging, email, or fake Internet profiles on social networking sites such as MySpace.com to harass or harm others. An estimated 13 million children ages 6 to 17 have been victims of cyberbullying, according to the group “Fight Crime: Invest in Kids.”
“In Minnesota, both kids and teachers have been victimized by bullies who attempt to hide behind the veil of anonymity of the Internet,” said Swanson. “I commend the Legislature for bringing sunshine to the problem of cyberbullying and requiring school districts to adopt policies to address it.” Swanson also commended the authors of the legislation, including chief authors Representative Debra Hilstrom and Senator Mee Moua.
Swanson and various legislators announced the cyberbullying initiative at a news conference on December 28, 2006. The legislation requires that all school districts in Minnesota expand their anti-bullying policies to address and respond to cyberbullying at the local level.
“Cyberbullying is a serious issue that requires open dialogue between our schools, families and communities in order to raise awareness and promote safety and respect for kids,” said Swanson.
Please see our PDF bulletin for more on Online Harassment and Bullying. Bulletin