Arizona - Statutes

A Watch-dog Organization - Advocating for Bullied Children
& Reporting on State Anti Bullying Laws

Synopsis: It took two years to pass this law, HB 2368, but in the end, anti bullying activists triumphed. Nevertheless, this law is graded a B- because its lacking in several areas - see www.bullypolice.org/grade.html. Below is a picture collage of some of the activity from getting this law passed. To contact the Director of Bully Police Arizona, Robin Todd, email azrtodd@q.com

ARIZONA

Picture top/left - fuzzy picture of Donna Flanigan (chief anti bullying "educator" to lawmakers) & Brenda High, (Donna's helper and Director of Bully Police USA). (Check out what Bully Police USA, Inc. did in Arizona - An Anti Bullying "Travel Log" in AZ. Also read: Why have an Anti Bullying Law? - Answering the questions concerning enacting legislation.)

Picture top/right - Robin Todd (Bully Police-Arizona, Director), Rep. David Bradley (House anti bullying bill sponsor), & Jodi Lovejoy Richardson (former Bully Police-Arizona, Co-Director.
Picture middle/left - Alena Lovejoy Statler (who testified, bravely, at the Arizona Senate Education Committee hearings), with her mother Jodi beside her.
Picture middle - Donna Flanigan (Bully Police USA Secretary), Senator Linda Gray (Senate anti bullying bill sponsor - Linda pushed the anti bullying bill through the Senate after which it went on to the House for final passage), and Brenda High (read: Scottsdale Tribune. - Mom on a Mission - What a major Arizona newspaper has to say about bullying)
Picture middle/right - The Ceremonial Signing of HB 2368 by Governor Janet Napolitano.
Picture bottom/left - Jodi (with head cut out), Brenda and Governor Napolitano. In the background are students from Tucson's Mansfeld Middle School who wrote HB 2368 as a class project.
Picture bottom/right - Jodi (holding Alena's picture), Governor Napolitano & Robin.

HB 2368
school policies; pupils; bullying
Sponsors: Representatives Bradley, Chase,
Downing, Garcia M, et al.
HB 2368 directs school district governing boards to adopt and enforce procedures that prohibit pupils from harassing, intimidating and bullying other pupils.
History
Currently, statute allows school teachers to send pupils to the principal’s office to maintain effective discipline in the classroom. Teachers may remove students from the classroom if a pupil’s behavior seriously affects the ability of the teacher to communicate effectively with students in the classroom or the ability of students to learn.
Additionally, statute provides that every public educational institution in the state must adopt, post and enforce a hazing prevention policy. The hazing prevention policy must be printed in every student handbook for distribution to parents and students.
Hazing is currently defined as any intentional, knowing or reckless act committed by a student, whether individually or in concert with other persons, against another student, and in which both of the following apply:
(a) The act was committed in connection with an initiation into, an affiliation with or the maintenance of membership in any organization that is affiliated with an educational institution.
(b) The act contributes to a substantial risk of potential physical injury, mental harm or degradation or causes physical injury, mental harm or personal degradation.
Currently, numerous states have statewide, anti-bullying laws.
Provisions:
Requires school district governing boards to adopt and enforce procedures that prohibit the harassment, bullying and intimidation of pupils on school grounds, school property, school buses, school bus stops and at school sponsored events and activities. The procedures must contain the following:

A confidential process that allows pupils to report incidents of harassment, intimidation or bullying to school officials.

A procedure for the parents or guardians of pupils to submit written reports concerning harassment, intimidation or bullying to school officials.

A requirement that school district employees report suspected harassment, intimidation or bullying.

A formal process for the documentation and investigation of reported incidents of harassment, intimidation or bullying.

A formal process for an investigation of suspected incidents of harassment, intimidation or bullying.

Disciplinary procedures for students admitting to, or who are found guilty of, committing harassment, intimidation or bullying.

A procedure that provides consequences for submitting false reports of harassment, intimidation or bullying.

Adds the school district and school district employees to those groups that are immune from civil liability for the consequences of adoption and implementation of policies and procedures regarding school district governing board requirements under Section 15-341, subsection A and the discretionary powers of school district governing boards under Section 15-342, unless guilty of gross negligence or intentional misconduct.

Makes technical and conforming changes.

47th Legislature
First Regular Session 2 April 15, 2005
Signed by the Governor April 20, 2005