Assembly Concurrent Resolution
No. 256
CHAPTER 166
Relative to Rosie’s Day.
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Filed with
Secretary of State
August 27, 2018.
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LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST
ACR 256, Reyes.
Rosie’s Day.
This measure would declare July 27, 2018, as California Bullying Prevention Day, also to be known as Rosie’s Day.
Digest Key
Fiscal Committee:
NO WHEREAS, Bullying is defined as any severe or pervasive physical or verbal act or conduct, including communications made in writing or by means of an electronic act, that causes a reasonable pupil to suffer negative consequences due to a fear of harm; and
WHEREAS, Bullying behaviors are recognized as dangerous and harmful acts that victimize the targeted child and bystanders and these behaviors are characterized by a pattern of deliberate, negative, hurtful, and aggressive acts that work to shift the balance of physical, emotional, or social power; and
WHEREAS, The prevalence of bullying among children and youth is staggering, with studies nationally suggesting that more than one out of every five students report being bullied; and
WHEREAS, Thirty-three percent of students who reported being bullied at school nationwide indicate that they were bullied at least once or twice a month during the school year; and
WHEREAS, Cyberbullying can be defined as harassing, intimidating, or annoying another person via electronic communications; and
WHEREAS, According to reports from the Center for Disease Control, among high school students 15.5 percent are cyberbullied, a number that rises to nearly 25 percent for middle school students; and
WHEREAS, Only 23 percent of students who reported being cyberbullied notified an adult at school about the incident; and
WHEREAS, School bullying has been identified as a problematic behavior among adolescents, affecting school achievement, prosocial skills, and psychological well-being for both victims and perpetrators; and
WHEREAS, Children and youth who are bullied are more likely than other children to be depressed, lonely, or anxious; to have low self-esteem; to experience headaches, stomachaches, tiredness, and poor eating; to be absent from school, dislike school, and have poor school performance; and to think about suicide, or try to commit suicide; and
WHEREAS, Bullying can affect the social environment of a school, create a climate of fear among students, inhibit their ability to learn, and lead to other antisocial behavior; and
WHEREAS, School-based bullying prevention programs may include a combination of interventions schoolwide, at the classroom level, and at the individual level to create a social environment characterized by positive adult involvement, firm limits for unacceptable behavior, consistent use of sanctions for rule violations, and recognition that adults are the authorities; and
WHEREAS, Restorative justice may be an effective strategy to prevent bullying. Restorative justice is a form of conflict resolution that aims to make clear to the offender that his or her offending behavior is not condoned, while at the same time being supportive and respectful of the individual; and
WHEREAS, In December of 2017 Rosalie (Rosie) Avila, a teenager from Yucaipa, California, suffered multiple forms of bullying, including physical and verbal, both online and in person, and, sadly, she felt that the only course of action was to take her own life; and
WHEREAS, The life of Rosie Avila and all other students who have lost their lives due to bullying must be remembered; and
WHEREAS, We must do all we can to continue to educate, empower, and protect children throughout California when it comes to the topic of bullying and provide our young people with opportunities to acquire knowledge and develop into healthy and productive adults; now, therefore, be it
Resolved, by the Assembly of the State of California, the Senate thereof concurring, That the Legislature declares July 27, 2018, as California Bullying Prevention Day, also to be known as Rosie’s Day, and recognizes the need for all of us as individuals, schools, communities, businesses, local governments, and the state to take action on behalf of bullying prevention in California; and be it further
Resolved, That the Chief Clerk of the Assembly transmit copies of this resolution to the author for appropriate distribution.