Charter Schools Exempted from Key Parts of NYS Anti-Bullying Law
Assemblyman O’Donnell, advocates vow to “fix it”
BY ANDY HUMM
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The 2010 New York State anti-bullying law that is finally due to go into effect this July 1 will exempt charter schools from several of its key provisions under a regulation approved by the Board of Regents on March 19.
That has left advocates feeling sideswiped, angry, and determined to get the state to reverse course. They also feel that the State Education Department, which was given two years to implement the law, has been slow to develop the necessary regulations to enable the law to go into effect on time — though the SED insists it will be ready.
Most advocates were not even aware of the state action exempting charter schools until it was brought to their attention by Gay City News, which learned of it from a March 9 press release from Assemblyman Daniel O’Donnell, an out gay West Side Democrat who was the chief sponsor of the Dignity for All Students Act (DASA).
The regulation published on January 25 says that while DASA mandated “instruction on ‘tolerance,’ ‘respect for others,’ and ‘dignity’ shall include awareness and sensitivity to discrimination or
That has left advocates feeling sideswiped, angry, and determined to get the state to reverse course. They also feel that the State Education Department, which was given two years to implement the law, has been slow to develop the necessary regulations to enable the law to go into effect on time — though the SED insists it will be ready.
Most advocates were not even aware of the state action exempting charter schools until it was brought to their attention by Gay City News, which learned of it from a March 9 press release from Assemblyman Daniel O’Donnell, an out gay West Side Democrat who was the chief sponsor of the Dignity for All Students Act (DASA).
The regulation published on January 25 says that while DASA mandated “instruction on ‘tolerance,’ ‘respect for others,’ and ‘dignity’ shall include awareness and sensitivity to discrimination or