ACLU Of Texas Reacts To Governor’s Actions
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
CONTACT: Kirsten Bokenkamp, 760-709-1211, [email protected]
AUSTIN — The following may be attributed to American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) of Texas Executive Director Terri Burke regarding legislation signed by Gov. Perry yesterday.
Bullying Legislation (HB 1942) -- “While several bills were introduced this session to address the problem of bullying, many ignored what we have learned to be a root problem: the failure of district officials to protect students from bullying on school grounds. HB 1942 recognizes that any solution to bullying must also include a process for educating students about the harm of bullying. By ensuring that the Texas State Board of Education’s upcoming review of the health curriculum include a discussion of evidenced based approaches to effectively address awareness, prevention, identification, conflict resolution and intervention in bullying, HB 1942 will utilize proven methods for teaching Texas’ children about why bullying is wrong.”
Sexting Legislation (SB 407) -- “SB 407 is well-meaning, but offers the wrong response. An estimated 20 percent of youth have engaged in ‘sexting.’ Sending these youth into the criminal justice system will fail to address the root behavior and also saddle them with the short- and long-term consequences of a criminal record. We should focus on real solutions, such as educating youth about the lasting impact of sharing private images over the Internet. As a parent, it is my responsibility, not the government’s, to teach my child that ‘sexting’ can have serious, negative consequences that may last forever.”
School-to-Prison Pipeline Legislation --Truancy Reform SB 1489; Corporal Punishment Reform, Ticketing Reform, Use of Force Reporting in Schools HB 359; Clarifying Expulsion Offense HB 968 -- “With this legislation, the Texas Legislature and Gov. Perry have taken a major first step toward sealing off the school-to-prison pipeline. While this legislation is a great victory for Texas’ school children, there is still much work to be done. We urge the Legislature and Gov. Perry to ensure that our schools utilize evidence-based disciplinary models, and end the use of ineffective approaches to discipline that rely on our courts to remedy relatively minor disciplinary issues such as chewing gum in class.”
