While some Florida school districts report few or no cases of bullying, other districts show a high number of cases two years after a law to protect Florida’s students took effect. The law, also known as “Jeffrey’s Law,” was named for Jeffrey Johnston — a Cape Coral student who committed suicide in 2005 after being the victim of bullying by a classmate. #
The Tampa Tribune reports today that nine Florida school districts have reported zero cases in the two years after Florida’s anti-bullying law took effect and required them to document and investigate every complaint. #
The Tribune report adds that one of those districts, Gilchrist County in North Florida, has only four schools and 2,800 students. #
According to the Tribune, “At the other end of the scale is the Palm Beach County School District, with about 172,000 students, where nearly 4,000 bullying cases were reported from 2008 to 2010. About half of Florida’s districts reported fewer than 10 cases during the two years.” #
And: “Hillsborough County, with about 192,000 students, was ranked in the top five for complaints — 368 one year and 300 the next. Miami-Dade, with about 345,000 students, saw its numbers jump from seven one year to 802.” #
According to the Tribune, such wide variations in reporting raise questions about whether Florida is getting what it asked for with the adoption of “Jeffrey’s Law”: #
The state Office of Safe Schools still finds value in the process, even if the numbers are off, said Director Brooks Rumenik. #
Schools are incorporating anti-bullying programs into lesson plans, and administrators, parents and students are talking about the problem more openly. #
Rumenik blames the reporting inconsistencies, in part, on the variety of ways districts collect data. #
The Office of Safe Schools is tasked with promoting and supporting safe learning environments by addressing issues of student safety and academic success on state, district, and school levels. It tracks among other issues the impact of bullying, hazing, Internet safety, underage drinking, and student drug testing. #
