ATLANTA – Today Governor Sonny Perdue signed Senate Bill 250 into law, which includes language authored by State Representative Mike Jacobs (R-Atlanta) that strengthens Georgia’s anti-bullying laws.
“Prior to today’s signing of SB 250 Georgia’s laws governing bullying in public schools were bare bones and inadequate,” said Representative Jacobs. “We must protect Georgia’s children and ensure they are in a safe environment where they can focus on their education. This new law gives schools, educators, and parents more resources to address bullying problems in our schools.”
This legislation expands and clarifies the definition of “bullying” in Georgia public schools, allows corrective action to be taken in any grade level, and requires the Department of Education to develop a model anti-bullying policy for its member schools. It also requires parental notification for students involved in bullying incidents.
Representative Jacobs was urged to introduce the anti-bullying provisions included in SB 250 after the tragic suicide of Jaheem Herrera, a DeKalb County 11-year-old who committed suicide after he was a victim of school bullying.
A link to SB 250 can be found by clicking here.
Editor’s Note: A photo of today’s signing of SB 250 is attached to this press release for your convenience.
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Representative Mike Jacobs represents the citizens of District 80, which includes portions of DeKalb County. He was elected into the House of Representatives in 2004, and currently serves as the Vice-Chairman of the Judiciary Committee. He also serves on the Insurance, MARTOC, and Rules Committees.