Giana GelseySupportMadbury, NHfor MyselfFeb 5, 2025
I am a parent of public school students and a member of my district’s school board.
This viewpoint is my own alone.
We need stronger reporting, enforcement, and clarification of anti-bullying policy and procedures to help guide and support efforts by school districts to appropriately address and mitigate incidents at schools. Requiring specific reporting standards will help districts form appropriate policies and procedures to respond proactively rather than reactively to bullying and cyberbullying.
I support this bill.
Susan HolcombeNeutralHanover, NHfor MyselfFeb 5, 2025
There are good improvements in this bill, especially extending the requirement for reporting on bullying to non-public schools. I would urge supporting the bill, but the legislature needs to be cognizant of the additional administrative burdens the state continues to place on public education at a time when the state cannot or will not adequately fund public schools.
Margit TurcotteSupportLee, NHfor MyselfFeb 5, 2025
I strongly support this bill. Bullying is an ongoing issue and we need transparency when addressing this issue.
Chase JohnsonSupportDurham, NHfor MyselfFeb 5, 2025
The matter added to the current law would provide valuable protections for students with marginalized identities. It's important to know how children are treating each other and recognize where there are gaps in their social knowledge.
Kara ClavioSupportDurham, NHfor MyselfFeb 5, 2025
I am writing in support of HB673, which would mandate the reporting and publishing of bullying and cyberbullying incidents in New Hampshire schools. As a parent of children attending public schools in the state, I believe this is necessary and important information that should be made available to the public. Please vote to support this bill.
Martha DickeySupportTilton, NHfor MyselfFeb 5, 2025
My name is Martha Dickey., I reside in Tilton NH and I support HB673. It is imperative that are youth are safe from bullying to protect their mental health. Both bullying and cyber bulling is out of control in this world - and the least that can be done is that we mitigate it to the extent that we can. I believe HB673 will help that.
Mary JenkinsSupportGoffstown, NHfor MyselfFeb 5, 2025
While I appreciate some concerns about punitive measures that others have raised, the reality is that bullying is a serious, life-altering issue that needs to be addressed and this bill demonstrates that our lawmakers are willing to take a significant step to reduce bullying.
Karen BemisSupportBristol, NHfor MyselfFeb 5, 2025
My name is Karen and I vote in Bristol. I SUPPORT this bill to protect students from ANY type of bullying at school.
Deborah Klein WalkerSupportMeredith, NHfor MyselfFeb 5, 2025
This is a stupid move...having diversity in all aspects of policy will help to improve the health and wellbeing of all NH residents. We also need to assure that everyone is in the pool for hiring, etc. A meritocracy is diverse so we should not be afraid of aspiring for health equity and environmental justice.
Angela PontOpposeGreenland, NHfor MyselfFeb 5, 2025
Schools have rules of behavior including bullying and if violated, students should be held accountable. This should be handled in the school with the help of the student's parents. Schools should not be required to send lists to the AG's office of the inappropriate behavior of school kids. Obviously, if a student commits a crime, law enforcement would get involved.
Sally StaudeOpposeStratham, NHfor MyselfFeb 5, 2025
This attempt to control private schools is NOT the purview of the NH state government!!! They have decided to indoctrinate our atudents instead of teaching basic subjects and critical thinking! They are not in any position to question the quality of private education or homeschooling, which have FAR surpassed our public education reaults.....OPPOSE this control bill!!!!!
Tonja NeveOpposeStratham, NHfor MyselfFeb 5, 2025
Dear Representatives,
I am writing to express my opposition to HB 673, which mandates that school boards develop written policies on bullying and cyberbullying and report substantiated incidents of these behaviors every semester, rather than annually. While I fully support the goal of combating bullying and ensuring transparency, I believe the requirements of this bill impose an undue burden on schools, particularly school administrators.
Currently, school districts already submit an annual report on bullying and harassment, including required data on incidents of bullying, cyberbullying, and acts against protected classes. This bill would require schools to report these incidents every semester, which would effectively double the reporting burden without providing significant additional benefit. Administrators and staff are already dedicating significant time to addressing student needs, including bullying prevention, and this bill would divert valuable time away from teaching and learning.
The additional reporting requirements, including compiling detailed data every semester, would take away time from the critical work of school leaders—ensuring academic excellence, fostering a positive school climate, and supporting both students and staff. The increased administrative workload could overwhelm existing staff and take away from the core mission of education. We must prioritize efforts that directly impact student learning and well-being, not expand administrative duties.
While transparency is important, this bill’s focus on more frequent reporting could be counterproductive. The existing annual reports are already comprehensive and comply with privacy regulations. Doubling the reporting requirements would strain resources, especially in districts already facing staffing shortages. The time spent on preparing these reports could be better used to implement and strengthen bullying prevention programs and provide necessary interventions for students.
In conclusion, while I share the goal of increasing transparency around bullying and cyberbullying, HB 673’s additional reporting requirements would create an unnecessary administrative burden for school leaders and detract from the time we need to focus on teaching and supporting students. I urge you to reconsider the bill and find more efficient ways to address bullying without overburdening already stretched school resources.
Thank you for your time and consideration.
Beth ScaerOpposeNashua, NHfor MyselfFeb 5, 2025
Position recorded without written comment.
Aubrey FreedmanOpposeBridgewater, NHfor MyselfFeb 5, 2025
Position recorded without written comment.
Sarah WoodburySupportLondonderry, NHfor MyselfFeb 5, 2025
Position recorded without written comment.
Jessica SmithSupportAtkinson, NHfor MyselfFeb 5, 2025
Position recorded without written comment.
Gary McCoolSupportRumney, NHfor MyselfFeb 5, 2025
Position recorded without written comment.
Anthony FerrantelloOpposeKeene, NHfor MyselfFeb 5, 2025
Position recorded without written comment.
Sandria SandriaSupportSalem, NHfor MyselfFeb 5, 2025
Position recorded without written comment.
Christopher RomitoOpposeHollis, NHfor MyselfFeb 5, 2025
Position recorded without written comment.
Susan RomitoOpposeHollis, NHfor MyselfFeb 5, 2025
Position recorded without written comment.
Robert KiefnerSupportConcord, NHfor MyselfFeb 5, 2025
Position recorded without written comment.
Eric BruningSupportFarmington, NHfor MyselfFeb 5, 2025
Position recorded without written comment.
Alice DaySupportFarmington, NHfor MyselfFeb 5, 2025
Position recorded without written comment.
Angela KeefSupportBOW, NHfor MyselfFeb 5, 2025
Position recorded without written comment.