Stopping the Bully: An Analysis of Texas House Bill 1942

Abstract

Bullying is prevalent in our culture and can be recognizable through a competitive, capitalistic economy and a dominance hierarchy. Based on dominance, bullying continues to be a problem in our public schools as witnessed through nationally televised stories in Colorado (Columbine), Vermont (Ryan Halligan), and Missouri (Megan Meier), to name a few. Therefore, it is important to analyze legislation seeking to eliminate bullying in our schools. This project intends to analyze Texas House Bill 1942 (HB 1942). In Texas, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported that 19.1 percent of students were bullied on school property and 13.8 percent of students were bullied electronically. In 2011, the 82nd Texas Legislature passed the first antibullying measure. With the passage of Texas HB 1942, the state sought to define acts of bullying, create stronger parental notification requirements, and increase accountability. Overall, results indicate that Texas HB 1942 provides adequate guidance for school districts to establish antibullying policies. However, no specific method for measuring effectiveness of the legislation was established. In addition to suggestions for solving the problem of measurement, other recommendations are made for strengthening the legislation.