Anti-Bullying Bill Ready for Gov. Quinn’s Signature

(Undated) -- A bill awaiting Governor Quinn’s signature is expected to help reduce bullying incidents at schools across the state. Mitch Locine with Equality Illinois says the state already has good policies on bullying, but some districts do not have a clear protocol for responding to incidents. He explains H-B 5707 gives guidance to schools to better comply with existing law, specifies the types of communication school leaders need to have with parents when bullying is reported, and directs schools to compile and report data annually. Besides negatively impacting a student’s social and emotional well-being, experts say bullying can also be a significant barrier to learning.