The Detroit Public Schools district is in the last stages of updating its anti-bullying policy to comply with the standards of a new state law and plans to submit its new rules to Lansing next week.
Wednesday was the deadline for Michigan school districts and charter schools to adopt policies that meet the guidelines of Matt's Safe School Law, passed by the state legislature in December. Schools must submit the documents to the state Department of Education by July 6.
The new policy will replace the district's older Anti-Bullying and Harassment Policy that went into effect in March of 2011.
"Our very robust policy includes sections on bullying and cyberbullying, conduct, as well as district, student, educator and staff responsibilities," said DPS spokeswoman Jennifer Mrozowski. "It also addresses reporting procedures, parent notifications, discipline and counseling, professional development, and student/parent training and prevention."
Mrozowkski said the district held an anti-bullying "train the trainer" workshop in March that taught staff and parents how to educate school staff members and others on the issue. The district contracts five vendors that provide a conflict resolution/anti-bullying curriculum to students.
DPS is currently collecting data on bullying in Detroit schools, which it plans to use to evaluate the effectiveness of these programs.
The Detroit Free Press reported Monday that 413 of the Michigan's 862 school districts and charters schools have submitted their anti-bullying policies to the state.
Flickr photo by Eddie~S.