Florida Senate - 2012                                    SB 1728
       
       
       
       By Senator Montford
       
       
       
       
       6-01311A-12                                           20121728__
    1                        A bill to be entitled                      
    2         An act relating to instruction in the public schools;
    3         creating s. 1003.4206, F.S.; authorizing each district
    4         school board to provide cyberbullying awareness
    5         instruction in K-12 public schools during the
    6         beginning of the school year; providing for
    7         designation of “Cyberbullying Awareness Week”;
    8         defining the term “cyberbullying”; providing for the
    9         integration of cyberbullying awareness instruction
   10         into existing curriculum and the goals of such
   11         instruction; providing an effective date.
   12  
   13  Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:
   14  
   15         Section 1. Section 1003.4206, Florida Statutes, is created
   16  to read:
   17         1003.4206 Cyberbullying awareness instruction.—
   18         (1) Each district school board may provide cyberbullying
   19  awareness instruction in all K-12 public schools in the district
   20  during the third week in September each year. The district
   21  school board shall designate the week as “Cyberbullying
   22  Awareness Week.”
   23         (2)(a) During this 1-week period, students may be provided
   24  intensive instruction to expand their knowledge, understanding,
   25  and awareness of cyberbullying. For purposes of this section,
   26  the term “cyberbullying” means the transmission of any
   27  electronic textual, visual, written, or oral communication with
   28  the malicious or willful intent to threaten, torment, abuse, or
   29  intimidate an individual.
   30         (b) The instruction may be integrated into the existing
   31  school curriculum in ways including, but not limited to,
   32  supplementing lesson plans, holding school assemblies, or
   33  providing other school-related activities. The instruction shall
   34  be delivered by qualified school personnel or by knowledgeable
   35  guest speakers.
   36         (3) The goals of cyberbullying awareness instruction
   37  include:
   38         (a) Increased attention to identifying and preventing
   39  cyberbullying.
   40         (b) Awareness of the serious consequences of cyberbullying,
   41  including, but not limited to, the emotional pain or discomfort
   42  that cyberbullying may cause.
   43         (c) Ways in which to respond to cyberbullying, including
   44  reporting incidents of cyberbullying to school officials.
   45         (d) Awareness that incidents of cyberbullying which occur
   46  in school often continue to occur after school hours.
   47         Section 2. This act shall take effect July 1, 2012.