RICHMOND, Va. — A new Virginia law requiring school principals to notify parents of alleged bullying incidents within 24 hours could come with consequences for school administrators.
“We really need to do everything we can to break that chain to stop bullying and the tragic aftermaths that can occur,” Senator John Bellof Loudoun and Prince William counties said.
Senator Bell, who authored the bill shortening the reporting window from five days to 24 hours, said school leaders could face lawsuits from parents if administrators do not comply with the new law. The new Virginia code directs "the principal or his designee to notify the parent of any student involved in an alleged incident of bullying within 24 hours of learning of the allegation of bullying."
“We don’t designate how [the notification] has to be done," said Senator Bell. "It can be an email. It can be a phone call. It can be [whatever is] necessary to make that notification to involve the parents.”
Bell said he wrote the bill in honor of 12-year-old Brody Alexander Watson. The Loudoun County boy died by suicide last year after being targeted by bullies at his middle school. His parents said they learned of their son's torment after his death. School leaders, however, were aware of the bullying Brody faced, but did not disclose it to his parents.
"If we had known this was happening, we would have acted immediately to try to help Brody," said Brody's father Ashley Watson during a General Assembly committee hearing about the bill earlier this year.
"This [bill] will be a tribute and honor to Brody’s life. If passing this bill saves just one life, it is well worth the effort."- Ashley Watson, father of Brody Alexander Watson
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, bullies and their targets are at an increased risk for suicide-related behavior.
"If we break the chain [by getting parents involved early], then often, the tragedy doesn’t occur."- Senator John Bell
When talking about the civil liabilities school leaders could face if they don't comply, Senator Bell said, "Money doesn’t bring back the person lost in this case. It doesn’t heal, but often for large organizations, a fine of a large sum of money is a punishment, frankly, that will subject change to make things different."
Senator Bell said civil damages were a consequence under the previous five-day notification period, but he's highlighting it ahead of the new law's first big test this school year.
"When you start attaching things to it [like] consequences and repercussions, that makes it even more important," said Shant'a Miller White, the founder of Parents Against Bullying. "[The old timeframe of] five days is a long time. A lot of things can happen within that time period. Twenty-four hours [means] we can get right on it!"
Bullying, according to the Code of Virginia, is defined as "any aggressive and unwanted behavior that is intended to harm, intimidate, or humiliate the victim; involves a real or perceived power imbalance between the aggressor or aggressors and victim; and is repeated over time or causes severe emotional trauma."
The Code of Virginia explains that "bullying" includes cyberbullying, but does not include "ordinary teasing, horseplay, argument, or peer conflict."
