| |
|
|
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
|
|
|
AN ACT
|
|
|
relating to bullying as a ground for removing a public school |
|
|
student from class and placing the student in a disciplinary |
|
|
alternative education program. |
|
|
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
|
|
SECTION 1. Section 37.006, Education Code, is amended by |
|
|
adding Subsection (p) to read as follows: |
|
|
(p) A student shall be removed from class and placed in a |
|
|
disciplinary alternative education program as provided by Section |
|
|
37.008 if the student, on or within 300 feet of school property, as |
|
|
measured from any point on the school's real property boundary |
|
|
line, or while attending a school-sponsored or school-related |
|
|
activity on or off of school property, including while on a school |
|
|
bus or at a school bus stop, engages in bullying. In this |
|
|
subsection, "bullying" means engaging in written or verbal |
|
|
expression or physical conduct that: |
|
|
(1) the student knows or reasonably believes will |
|
|
cause significant emotional distress to another student; |
|
|
(2) causes significant emotional distress to another |
|
|
student; and |
|
|
(3) would cause significant emotional distress to a |
|
|
reasonable person under the same circumstances. |
|
|
SECTION 2. Section 37.006(p), Education Code, as added by |
|
|
this Act, applies beginning with the 2007-2008 school year. |
|
|
SECTION 3. This Act takes effect immediately if it receives |
|
|
a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as |
|
|
provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution. If this |
|
|
Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this |
|
|
Act takes effect September 1, 2007. |