Published: October 02, 2008 08:53 am            

School board to address bullying

New rules under consideration

The Lafayette County School Board will hold a public hearing on Oct. 16, at 10:30 a.m., to consider new rules outlining the definitions and consequences of bullying and harassment during school hours as well as school events.

“It is the policy of the Lafayette County School District that all of its students and school employees have an educational setting that is safe, secure and free from harassment and bullying of any kind,” district policy states.

These new rules are part of the “Jeffrey Johnston Stand up for All Students Act,” signed into law by Florida Gov. Charlie Crist earlier this year. This act, according to Debbie Johnston, who lobbied for the legislation, was created in memory of her son Jeffrey, a Cape Coral high school student who committed suicide in 2005 after being bullied and harassed by a fellow classmate.

A 13-page copy of the new standards is available to the public to view at the school board office.

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