On the recordDecember 2, 2015
I want to speak today about what the House will face on educational changes in bringing forward S. 1177, the Every Child Succeeds Act, which takes us away from No Child Left Behind. I am very delighted that the Jackson Lee amendment offered during the House consideration of the bill dealing with bullying is now in this bill. It is now the law of the land once we pass it. It supports accountability-based programs and activities that are designed to enhance school safety, which may include research-based bullying prevention, cyberbullying prevention, disruption of recruitment activity by groups or individuals involved in violent extremism, and gang prevention programs as well as intervention programs. CNN had a report just last night, I believe, that talked about the extensiveness of cyberbullying. One in seven students in grades K-12 is either a bully or a victim of it; 90 percent of fourth to eighth grade students report being victims of bullying; 56 percent of students have personally witnessed some type of bullying; 71 percent of students report incidents of bullying as a problem; 15 percent of all students who don't show up for school report they have been bullied; 1 out of 20 students has seen a student with a gun at a school; and 282,000 students are physically attacked in secondary schools each month. This is something that is a key part of education. To be in an education environment where you want to learn and where you are protected is key.…
