Lake Mary, FLORIDA–(June 1, 2012) In response to several incidents of bullying this year, in which at least two resulted in the bullied victim taking their own life, the nonprofit group CHEER FOR A CAUSE has launched a new Bully Free Zone campaign called “975 Saves Lives.”
“The phrase ’975 Saves Lives’ refers to House bill 975; The Anti-Bullying and Harassment Act of 2011 which was introduced in Congress and sent to committee more than a year ago,” said Julie Bolton, Cheer for a Cause’s founder.
Every month Cheer for a Cause highlights a different cause and June is Anti-Bullying month. As part of its 975 Saves Lives campaign, the nonprofit organization hopes to receive 50,000 signatures on a petition it has created at http://www.change.org/petitions/bully-free-zone-usa-975-saves-lives.
“While state laws have passed that establish a policy against bullying, the language of this bill is the first that takes the next step by not only defining what bullying is but by establishing a law that will punish those who bully and hold those in authority accountable,” Mrs. Bolton said. “It’s going to do to bullying in school what the sexual harassment laws did in the workforce…END it!”
With the catch phrase “975 Saves Lives” the Bully Free Zone campaign will bring attention to this little known bill, which is under review by Congress’s Committee on Education and the Workforce. The goal of this petition is to see H.R. 975 pass both the House and Senate and sent to the President of the United States to sign into law.
“At its present status it has a 2 percent chance of being enacted and that is unacceptable,” Mrs. Bolton said.
H.R. 975 is the Anti-Bullying and Harassment Act of 2011 – Amends the Safe and Drug-Free Schools and Communities Act to require: (1) states to use grants for safe and drug-free schools to collect and report information on the incidence of bullying and harassment, and (2) local educational agencies (LEAs) and schools to use subgrants to prevent and respond to incidents of bullying and harassment. Requires such LEAs or schools to: (1) notify parents and students annually of conduct prohibited in their school discipline policies, that now must include bullying and harassment; and (2) establish complaint procedures for students and parents to register complaints regarding such conduct. Includes bullying and harassment within the Act’s definition of violence.
“With so many of our friends in the spirit world experiencing bullying, we think it’s time to put the ‘leader back in cheer’ and drive the movement across the country to pass House bill 975,” Mrs. Bolton said.
To sign the petition of support for House bill 975; The Anti-Bullying and Harassment Act of 2011, go to http://www.change.org/petitions/bully-free-zone-usa-975-saves-lives.
To learn more about H.R. 975 and its status, go to http://www.govtrack.us/congress/bills/112/hr975.
Cheer for a Cause is a nonprofit organization that works to create significant charitable impact by uniting the Spirit World to support causes affecting our global spirit family and encouraging individual, team and organization fundraising and volunteer projects. http://www.cheerforacause.org.
Cheer for a Cause Launches 2012 Bully Free Zone Campaign 975 Saves Lives
