SAINT PAUL, Minn. - Yesterday, the Minnesota House Education Policy Committee heard the Beyond Bullying Bill, authored by Rep. Jess Hanson (DFL - Burnsville), which addresses a slew of racist bullying happening around Minnesota’s schools.
“This legislation is much needed in our communities to ensure students are safe, respected, and valued,” said Hanson. “These are not one-off isolated incidents. Students from all across Minnesota have told us about the racist, islamophobic, sexist, classist, anti-semitic, homophobic, and transphobic incidents happening in our schools. We must ensure our schools are safe learning environments for every Minnesotan, no matter their race, religion, sexuality, gender, or disability.”
The Beyond Bullying Bill requires school boards to adopt policies that address incidents of malicious and sadistic bullying and conduct that targets a student for their race, gender, religion, sexual orientation, disability, or for purposes of sexual harassment or exploitation.