Public Act 0198 95TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY

HB0438 Enrolled LRB095 04096 RAS 24134 b

Public Act 095-0198

AN ACT concerning education.

Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois, represented in the General Assembly:

Section 5. The School Code is amended by adding Section 27-23.7 as follows:

(105 ILCS 5/27-23.7)

Sec. 27-23.7. Bullying prevention education; gang resistance education and training.

(a) The General Assembly finds that bullying has a negative effect on the social environment of schools, creates a climate of fear among students, inhibits their ability to learn, and leads to other antisocial behavior. Bullying behavior has been linked to other forms of antisocial behavior, such as vandalism, shoplifting, skipping and dropping out of school, fighting, using drugs and alcohol, sexual harassment, and sexual violence.

The General Assembly further finds that the instance of youth delinquent gangs continues to rise on a statewide basis. Given the higher rates of criminal offending among gang members, as well as the availability of increasingly lethal weapons, the level of criminal activity by gang members has taken on new importance for law enforcement agencies, schools, the community, and prevention efforts.

(b) In this Section: ,

"Bullying bullying prevention" means and includes instruction in all of the following:

(1) Intimidation.

(2) Student victimization.

(3) Sexual harassment.

(4) Sexual violence.

(5) Strategies for student-centered problem solving regarding bullying.

"Gang resistance education and training" means and includes instruction in, without limitation, each of the following subject matters when accompanied by a stated objective of reducing gang activity and educating children in grades K through 12 about the consequences of gang involvement:

(1) Conflict resolution.

(2) Cultural sensitivity.

(3) Personal goal setting.

(4) Resisting peer pressure.

(c) Each school district may make suitable provisions for instruction in bullying prevention and gang resistance education and training in all grades and include such instruction in the courses of study regularly taught therein. A school board may collaborate with a community-based agency providing specialized curricula in bullying prevention whose ultimate outcome is to prevent sexual violence. For the purposes of gang resistance education and training, a school board must collaborate with State and local law enforcement agencies. The State Board of Education may assist in the development of instructional materials and teacher training in relation to bullying prevention and gang resistance education and training.

(Source: P.A. 94-937, eff. 6-26-06.)

Effective Date: 1/1/2008