ADF: All students deserve to be protected from bullying

WASHINGTON — The Alliance Defense Fund has submitted a model anti-bullying policy to the U.S. Commission on Civil Rights for recommendation to school boards and other governing bodies. Unlike other policies, the policy drafted by ADF attorneys would protect all students from bullying rather than only a select few and would be implemented by school boards rather than the federal government.

“All students deserve to be protected from bullying, not just certain ones favored by certain political activist groups,” said ADF Legal Counsel Dale Schowengerdt.  “The constitutionally sound policy we are recommending protects all students, is designed for local school boards where it can be effective instead of involving the federal government, and guards student rights protected by the First Amendment.”

ADF submitted its recommended policy to the U.S. Commission on Civil Rights in response to a request for input on peer-to-peer violence and bullying in K-12 government-run schools. The commission is also seeking other public input by e-mail through May 27.

The ADF submission to the commission explains that “while we support stopping violence and bullying in schools, we do not believe that programs to accomplish this laudable end should be imposed by the federal government nor only advance the political interests of certain groups while ignoring the needs of most schoolchildren experiencing bullying. All students deserve to be protected from bullying, which is why we composed a model anti-bullying policy that protects all students instead of just a select few.”