Anti-Bullying Policy
Publication
of this Special Update is in response to enactment of H.B. 4163 (Public Act 241
of 2011), known as “Matt’s Safe School Law”. The bill was signed by Governor Snyder on December 6, 2011,
with an immediate effective date. This legislation calls for the Board of each school district or
intermediate school district to adopt and implement a policy prohibiting
bullying at school not later than June 6, 2012.
If
the district has already adopted and implemented such a policy that meets the
requirements of the law, the Board may submit a copy of the policy to the
Michigan Department of Education within 60 days of December 6, 2011.
The
bill requires the school district’s policy to include at least all of the
following:
1.
A statement
prohibiting bullying of a student;
2.
A statement
prohibiting retaliation or false accusation against a target of bullying, a
witness, or another person with reliable information about an act of bullying;
3.
A provision
indicating that all students are protected under the policy, and that bullying
is equally prohibited without regard to its subject matter or motivating
animus;
4.
The
identification, by job title, of school officials responsible for ensuring that
the policy is implemented;
5.
A statement
describing how the policy is to be publicized;
6.
A procedure for
providing notification to the parent or legal guardian of a victim of bullying,
and to the parent or legal guardian of a perpetrator of the bullying;
7.
A procedure for
prompt investigation of a report of a violation of the policy or a related
complaint, identifying either the principal or the principal’s designee as the
person responsible for the investigation; and
8.
A procedure for
each public school to document any prohibited incident that was reported, and a
procedure to report all verified incidents of bullying and the resulting consequences,
including discipline and referrals, to the Board of the school district on an
annual basis.