Alexandria – Delegate David Englin announced today that he has pre-filed legislation for the 2009 General Assembly session intended to help reduce bullying, harassment, and intimidation in Virginia schools, which is a key priority for more than 200 self-advocates, families, friends, and supporters of people with disabilities attending today’s “Dignity and Justice for All” rally in Richmond’s Capitol Square.
“People with disabilities understand how one incident of being bullied or made fun of can influence a person’s life or school experience regardless of his or her ability . . . and that is why we think it is time to have legislation that makes it ‘wrong’ to hurt others,” said said Jill Egle, co-executive director of the Arc of Northern Virginia, which advocates for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities. “We want to thank Delegate Englin for working to put some teeth into policies designed to make bullying wrong and working to create safe and fun learning environments for all students.”
Englin’s legislation, House Bill 1624, would strengthen Virginia’s anti-bullying law by requiring school codes of conduct to prohibit “harassment and intimidation” as well as “bullying” and by adding specific language to the State Board of Education’s model code-of-conduct to prohibit bullying, harassment, and intimidation based on, among other things, actual or perceived physical or mental ability or disability.
“Students with disabilities get picked on a lot because they may act or look differently — but they still want to be accepted by the other students,” said Egle.
“Bullying hurts people. I was bullied in school, I wanted to quit and drop-out,” said Pamela Strickland, one of the Arc of Northern Virginia’s self-advocates. “My mom and dad wouldn’t let me. I was mad at them and at the school — for not doing anything.”
During the Arc of Northern Virginia’s “I Have a Dream, I Have a Life, I Have a Name Café” advocacy event in August, Englin met with constituents to discuss some of the personal and policy challenges faced by people with intellectual and developmental disabilities. Following that meeting Arc members asked Englin to pursue this anti-bullying effort.
“We experienced some of these very same issues in my own family when I was growing up, so I was honored that the Arc asked me to work with them on this issue,” said Englin. “It’s my sincere hope that these policy changes will help us drive home to our children that every child — and every person — deserves to be treated with equal dignity and respect.”
Delegate David Englin is currently serving his second term in the Virginia House of Delegates, where he represents the 45th District, which includes parts of the City of Alexandria, Fairfax County, and Arlington County. He was first elected in November 2005 and won re-election in November 2007 with more than 64 percent of the vote. A Democratic Whip, he serves on the Privileges and Elections Committee, and the Health, Welfare, and Institutions Committee. For more information, visit www.davidenglin.org.
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