Findings

The Congress finds the following: (1) Nearly 1-in-5 K–12 students have reported being bullied at school, accounting for more than 10,000,000 students across the country. (2) Since most instances of bullying take place on school grounds, school staff and teachers play an instrumental role in bullying prevention. (3) According to the NCES, 68 percent of grade 6–12 students who are bullied face repeated incidents over multiple days, and many have reported negative impacts on their physical health as a result of being bullied at school. (4) Research shows that engaged educators who are supportive of all students help to reduce the overall presence of bullying and harassment on school grounds. (5) Marginalized students face high rates of bullying, with studies showing that 71 percent of Jewish families have experienced antisemitism at school, 78 percent of Sikh students have been bullied at school, 83 percent of LGBTQ+ students have been harassed or assaulted at school, and 44 percent of teenagers with developmental disabilities have been bullied at school. (6) Hostile school environments have a detrimental effect on the academic success and health of students. (7) 56 percent of bullying incidents are never reported to an adult, inhibiting school systems in addressing hostile environments and supporting the well-being of all students. (8) Governments and educators in every State have a responsibility to ensure State and local education systems have processes in place for students to be able to learn in a safe environment, regardless of their actual or perceived race, color, national origin, sex, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity, or religion.