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SALT LAKE CITY — A bill to redefine bullying in schools statewide failed in the Senate Education Committee on Tuesday.
SB243, sponsored by Sen. Luz Robles, D-Salt Lake City, struck the current definition of bullying and replaced it with one that was more encompassing of the emotional effects of bullying and the impact it has on school environments.
“We are trying to choose wording that will resonate with our state,” Robles said.
Robles said that approximately 30 percent of American schoolchildren ages 6-10 have been bullied or have bullied other children and that bullying has intensified in recent years.
The State Board of Education did not take a position on the bill but said it had concerns with some of the language in the bill. The bill failed with a 3-3 vote.
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