This may be shocking to hear… but Pennsylvania has some of the loosest anti-bullying and harassment regulations in the nation.
Lawmakers are trying to put an end to it quickly with a bill that’s been on the table since September of last year.
Two victims of high school bullying recently asked state representative Patty Kim for help.
She says that’s when she realized how big the problem is.
“Bullying is evident in our schools but there’s nothing organized to give them a path out of it,” says Patty Kim.
She thinks the Pennsylvania safe schools act would give the state the essential resources it needs when it comes to reporting and prevention.
“It requires schools districts to have a program to have teachers to be educated and trained about bullying,” says Kim.
The support for this spans part lines with nearly a hundred co-sponsors on the bill.
If it’s turned into law, the department of education would require schools to have an online training program for all staff.
“This is definitely a very strong first step in helping students get out of this I think so many students suffer silently about this they don’t know what to do some go into depression and god hope not commit suicide,” says Kim.
Rallies have already taken place in Harrisburg to raise awareness about how dangerous words can be.
“A lot of times we see kids that bully and they’re like kids are just being kids, they’re being mean. But it goes a lot deeper than that,” says Kim.
When session reconvenes next month, lawmakers are hoping to put this very high on the priority list.