Below is a summary of the new anti-bullying law as explained on the State Attorney General's Office website.

"On Monday, May 3rd, 2010, Governor Deval Patrick signed into law a landmark anti-bullying bill for Massachusetts.  Provisions of this new law include requirements for schools to create and implement bullying prevention plans which must include:

• Descriptions of and statements prohibiting bullying;
• Clear procedures for school staff to report bullying or retaliation;
• Provision for anonymous reports;
• Clear procedures for promptly responding to and investigating reports of bullying or retaliation;
• Range of disciplinary sanctions for perpetrators of bullying or retaliation;
• Clear procedures to address the victim's need for safety;
• Strategies for protecting students who report bullying;
• Procedures for notifying parents or guardians of both victims and perpetrators;
• Procedures for reporting criminal activity to law enforcement;
• Disciplinary provisions for knowingly false reports of bullying;
• Strategies for counseling perpetrators and victims; and
• Provision for ongoing professional development to build skills of all members of school staff.

The new law includes tough restrictions on young people’s use of any technology to bully another person and the new law includes a prominent role for the Attorney General’s Office, along with the Department of Early and Secondary Education, the Massachusetts Department of Public Health and other agencies to develop and to implement comprehensive bullying prevention plans in order to ensure that every student feels safe – in and out of school.

The law also gives responsibility to the Attorney General’s Office to chair a multi-agency Commission which will conduct a careful review of related-Massachusetts laws to determine if any additional laws need to be amended to address bullying and/or cyberbullying.

To learn more about cyberbullying, visit our webpage."

Below is a list of resources that may assist you with the development of your anti-bullying policy.

Anti-Bullying Law-Chapter 92 of the Acts of 2010-A link to the M.G.L.

STOP THE BULLING brochure provided by the Middlesex District Attorney's office- The Middlesex District Attorney's office provides training for school districts and parents on bullying and cyberbullying.  Contact your local district attorney's office to determine what resources and training they may have.

Anti-Defamation League's Anti-Bullying/Cyberbullying Prevention Law Toolkit- The ADL has provided a sample anti-bullying policy for school districts as well as a sample school internet acceptable use policy.

Direct From the Field-A Guide to Bullying Prevention-provided by the MA Department of Public Health- This guide was developed by a state task force in 2007 and includes evidence based research, step by step instructions on how to analyze your current policy, best practices, tools for teachers, intervention guidelines and tools for children.

List of Bullying Prevention Resources provided by the MA Department of Public Health-

National Youth Violence Prevention Resource Center (www.safeyouth.org)- This site provides additional resources on bullying that include: bullying facts and statistics, bullyproofing your school, helping a youth who bullies, and treating a bullying victim.

Stopbullyingnow.org-This website provides "webisodes" on bullying prevention for kids and parents.