Legislature(2005 - 2006)CAPITOL 106
04/27/2005 01:00 PM House EDUCATION
| Audio | Topic |
|---|---|
| Start | |
| HB233 | |
| Adjourn |
* first hearing in first committee of referral
+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
| *+ | HB 233 | TELECONFERENCED | |
| + | TELECONFERENCED |
ALASKA STATE LEGISLATURE
HOUSE SPECIAL COMMITTEE ON EDUCATION
April 27, 2005
1:07 p.m.
MEMBERS PRESENT
Representative Mark Neuman, Chair
Representative Bob Lynn
Representative Bill Thomas
Representative Peggy Wilson
Representative Woodie Salmon
MEMBERS ABSENT
Representative Carl Gatto
Representative Les Gara
COMMITTEE CALENDAR
HOUSE BILL NO. 233
"An Act relating to preventing harassment, intimidation, or
bullying in public schools; and providing for an effective
date."
- MOVED CSHB 233(EDU) OUT OF COMMITTEE
PREVIOUS COMMITTEE ACTION
BILL: HB 233
SHORT TITLE: PREVENTING HARASSMENT IN SCHOOLS
SPONSOR(S): REPRESENTATIVE(S) SALMON
03/23/05 (H) READ THE FIRST TIME - REFERRALS
03/23/05 (H) EDU, JUD, FIN
04/19/05 (H) EDU AT 11:00 AM CAPITOL 106
04/19/05 (H) -- Meeting Canceled --
04/21/05 (H) EDU AT 11:00 AM CAPITOL 106
04/21/05 (H) Scheduled But Not Heard
04/27/05 (H) EDU AT 1:00 PM CAPITOL 106
WITNESS REGISTER
REPRESENTATIVE WOODIE SALMON
Alaska State Legislature
Juneau, Alaska
POSITION STATEMENT: Spoke as the sponsor of HB 233.
REPRESENTATIVE SHARON CISSNA
Alaska State Legislature
Juneau, Alaska
POSITION STATEMENT: Spoke as the co-sponsor of HB 233.
MARY MCMAHON, Interim Superintendent
Kashunamiut School District
Chevak, Alaska
POSITION STATEMENT: During discussion of HB 233, emphasized the
need to have a policy to address bullying in place.
MOIRA SMITH, Staff
to Representative Woodie Salmon
Alaska State Legislature
Juneau, Alaska
POSITION STATEMENT: During discussion of HB 233, answered
questions.
MICHAEL BYER, Principal
Hoonah City School
Hoonah, Alaska
POSITION STATEMENT: During discussion of HB 233, emphasized the
need for there to be research-based programs to help students
learn how to behave with each other.
ACTION NARRATIVE
CHAIR MARK NEUMAN called the House Special Committee on
Education meeting to order at 1:07:53 PM. Representatives
Thomas, Wilson, and Salmon were present at the call to order.
Representative Lynn arrived as the meeting was in progress.
Representatives Gatto and Gara were excused.
HB 233-PREVENTING HARASSMENT IN SCHOOLS
CHAIR NEUMAN announced that the only order of business would be
HOUSE BILL NO. 233, "An Act relating to preventing harassment,
intimidation, or bullying in public schools; and providing for
an effective date."
1:08:45 PM
REPRESENTATIVE WILSON moved to adopt CSHB 233, Version 24-
LS0804\F, Mischel, 4/19/05, as the working document. There
being no objection, Version F was before the committee.
1:09:50 PM
REPRESENTATIVE WOODIE SALMON, Alaska State Legislature, sponsor,
began by thanking the committee for hearing HB 233. He
explained that HB 233 addresses a serious problem in Alaska's
schools, bullying. Representative Salmon acknowledged that
there is no simple way to stop bullying, but this legislation is
necessary for the following reasons. First, the legislation
allows the legislature to take a strong policy stand against
bullying. Second, this legislation requires that every school
district in the state adopt anti-bullying policies and the State
Board of Education to develop a model policy that districts can
follow when developing their own. Representative Salmon closed
by urging the committee's support for HB 233.
1:11:56 PM
REPRESENTATIVE WILSON opined that this is fabulous legislation.
1:13:59 PM
CHAIR NEUMAN noted the presence of Representative Cissna, a co-
sponsor of the legislation.
1:14:18 PM
REPRESENTATIVE LYNN expected that everyone in this room has
dealt with bullies in school at some point in time. He informed
the committee that bullying by definition is misbehavior.
Drawing upon his experience as a former teacher, Representative
Lynn opined that misbehavior is sometimes allowed to take place
in the classroom because teachers hands have been tied by
various forces. Representative Lynn agreed that the intent of
HB 233 is excellent, although he wasn't sure that it will have
the impact everyone desires.
1:16:13 PM
REPRESENTATIVE SHARON CISSNA, Alaska State Legislature, co-
sponsor of HB 233, thanked Representative Salmon for introducing
HB 233. She informed the committee that she spoke with the
Anchorage superintendent in order to understand the implications
it would have for the Anchorage School District. The Anchorage
School District, she noted, has a policy within which this
policy would fit. Anchorage's policy refers to harassment, and
amounts to very much the same subject as HB 233. Representative
Cissna explained that [under HB 233] a formal procedure would be
created with strategies so that children are identified and
schools know what they should do with each problem. She
concluded by noting her support of HB 233.
1:18:18 PM
REPRESENTATIVE LYNN commented that teachers in schools should
have instant reactions to any misbehavior. He questioned
whether laws are necessary to tell teachers and schools to stop
misbehavior. "Are there not guidelines already," he asked.
REPRESENTATIVE CISSNA noted the increasing class sizes. She
then emphasized the need for a policy to be in place for
teachers.
REPRESENTATIVE LYNN informed the committee that when he began
teaching in 1959, he had a class of 43 students. When there was
a problem in the classroom, he knew actually who was causing it.
Although he supported smaller class sizes, he opined that any
teacher should know who is causing the problem. Again,
Representative Lynn applauded the intent of HB 233.
1:21:19 PM
MARY MCMAHON, Interim Superintendent, Kashunamiut School
District, related that [bullying] has been a big concern for the
Kashunamiut School District this year. Many times districts
aren't prepared to deal with this issue as they should.
Therefore, if policies were in place and the districts had
something in place, the situation would be one that is proactive
rather than reactive.
1:22:06 PM
REPRESENTATIVE LYNN inquired as to why legislation would be
necessary for schools to put a policy in place to control
misbehavior.
MS. MCMAHON said that she didn't know whether it's the role of
the legislature to do this, but she opined that it's good
legislation. Furthermore, the legislation addresses a big issue
that's found in all school districts.
REPRESENTATIVE WILSON related her belief in limited government.
However, perhaps a school district hasn't even thought of
addressing this matter. These [bullying situations] are
[situations] that can result in life and death situations. She
also pointed out that kids today are different in that many kids
don't know how to be respectful of others. Representative
Wilson opined that if [school districts] don't have policies
similar to that proposed in HB 233, then they should.
1:24:11 PM
REPRESENTATIVE LYNN questioned whether legislation should be
introduced requiring school districts to initiate a program to
respect others.
REPRESENTATIVE WILSON opined that part of "that" is teaching
kids to handle their feelings in acceptable ways. If it has to
be taught in school in order to avoid kids being killed in
schools, then it's worth it, she further opined.
CHAIR NEUMAN acknowledged that in a perfect world, legislation
such as this wouldn't be necessary. This legislation instructs
school districts to start applying rules with the help of the
Department of Education and Early Development. He recalled
being informed that of the 53 school districts in Alaska that
were asked what they have in the way of policies [including
bullying] only 17 responded. Chair Neuman interpreted the
aforementioned to mean that there has to be something telling
the school districts that [policies addressing bullying] need to
be in place.
REPRESENTATIVE LYNN inquired as to the disciplinary policies of
the state's school districts.
1:26:16 PM
MOIRA SMITH, Staff to Representative Woodie Salmon, Alaska State
Legislature, said that Representative Salmon is very concerned
with HB 233 being an unfunded mandate, which is why he has spent
much time working with the Alaska Association of School Boards
(AASB) and the Alaska Council of School Administrators to ensure
that they didn't view HB 233 as useless or an unfunded mandate.
From AASB Ms. Smith said she learned that it has a model policy
on bullying. Furthermore, AASB has, through its own research,
determined that 40 of Alaska's school districts do have policies
that either address bullying as a separate issue or intimidation
and harassment in a way that satisfies AASB. The legislation,
HB 233, adopts AASB's policy and recommends that the Alaska
State Board of Education adopt it as its policy and mandates
that every school district have a policy. Therefore, if a
school district has a policy that is in compliance with what HB
233 mandates, nothing is required. As to the earlier comments
questioning [whether it's necessary for HB 233 to be law],
parents have related to the sponsor that it's important to have
a policy in place in every school district. Moreover, by
passing legislation on bullying, the legislature is taking a
policy stand against it and bolstering the efforts of teachers
and administrators as they address this matter.
REPRESENTATIVE LYNN said that he wholly supports the
aforementioned. He opined that schools need to return to
discipline in the classroom in order that education can occur
and the money sent to schools can be used to teach kids.
1:29:25 PM
MICHAEL BYER, Principal, Hoonah City School, related that the
Hoonah City School is dealing with bullying issues. He agreed
that there have been various forms of harassment in schools over
the years, but he emphasized the need for there to be research-
based programs to help students learn how to behave with each
other.
REPRESENTATIVE WILSON moved to report CSHB 233, Version 24-
LS0804\F, Mischel, 4/19/05, out of committee with individual
recommendations and the accompanying zero fiscal note. There
being no objection, CSHB 233(EDU) was reported out of the House
Special Committee on Education.
ADJOURNMENT
There being no further business before the committee, the House
Special Committee on Education meeting was adjourned at 1:31:40
PM.
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