Press Releases

Last week, U.S. Representative Matt Cartwright introduced H.R. 4756, the Bullying Redress and Verified Enforcement (BRAVE) Act, legislation that would address bullying behavior within schools.

“Bullying has a detrimental and lasting effect on children and should not be tolerated.  Our children spend a significant amount of their time at school and deserve a comfortable and safe learning environment,” said Rep. Cartwright.  “There is a need for greater accountability from schools on the issue of bullying.  Without accurate reporting, it is difficult to prevent this problem.  Therefore, my bill requires schools to report instances of bullying in order to increase their awareness of the issue and increase oversight in schools.”

According to the Department of Health and Human Services, 1 in 3 students say they have been bullied at school.  Moreover, 1 out of 10 students who drops out of school does so because of repeated bullying.  Currently, bullying laws exist in forty-nine states, including Pennsylvania, but these laws provide varying levels of protection.  

Rep. Cartwright’s legislation would mandate school personnel to report and maintain accurate records of bullying behavior, which may make it easier for students to demonstrate that the school district has a policy or custom of allowing bullying to occur, facilitating litigation and enabling students to pressure the school district for equal protection in the courts.  Furthermore, to ensure schools comply, the bill would establish a procedure for parents to submit complaints to the Office of Civil Rights for the Department of Education.

Equality Pennsylvania, the National Education Association, and PFLAG National have endorsed the legislation.