New anti-bullying guidelines proposed last week by the Massachusetts education department would require principals to report all bullying cases to the parents of the students involved—and, in some cases, to law enforcement as well.
The guidelines were requested under an anti-bullying law that was signed by Gov. Deval L. Patrick in May, after the suicides of two students believed to be victims of intense harassment, 15-year-old Phoebe Prince of South Hadley and 11-year-old Carl Walker-Hoover of Springfield.
State education officials released the guidelines, which outline how schools should work with families and other community resources, to help school officials address bullying in their districts. School systems have until Dec. 31 to submit their own anti-bullying plans to the state for approval.
