Public Act 095-0198
 
HB0438 Enrolled LRB095 04096 RAS 24134 b

    AN ACT concerning education.
 
    Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois,
represented in the General Assembly:
 
    Section 5. The School Code is amended by adding Section
27-23.7 as follows:
 
    (105 ILCS 5/27-23.7)
    Sec. 27-23.7. Bullying prevention education; gang
resistance education and training.
    (a) The General Assembly finds that bullying has a negative
effect on the social environment of schools, creates a climate
of fear among students, inhibits their ability to learn, and
leads to other antisocial behavior. Bullying behavior has been
linked to other forms of antisocial behavior, such as
vandalism, shoplifting, skipping and dropping out of school,
fighting, using drugs and alcohol, sexual harassment, and
sexual violence.
    The General Assembly further finds that the instance of
youth delinquent gangs continues to rise on a statewide basis.
Given the higher rates of criminal offending among gang
members, as well as the availability of increasingly lethal
weapons, the level of criminal activity by gang members has
taken on new importance for law enforcement agencies, schools,
the community, and prevention efforts.
    (b) In this Section: ,
    "Bullying bullying prevention" means and includes
instruction in all of the following:
        (1) Intimidation.
        (2) Student victimization.
        (3) Sexual harassment.
        (4) Sexual violence.
        (5) Strategies for student-centered problem solving
    regarding bullying.
    "Gang resistance education and training" means and
includes instruction in, without limitation, each of the
following subject matters when accompanied by a stated
objective of reducing gang activity and educating children in
grades K through 12 about the consequences of gang involvement:
        (1) Conflict resolution.
        (2) Cultural sensitivity.
        (3) Personal goal setting.
        (4) Resisting peer pressure.
    (c) Each school district may make suitable provisions for
instruction in bullying prevention and gang resistance
education and training in all grades and include such
instruction in the courses of study regularly taught therein. A
school board may collaborate with a community-based agency
providing specialized curricula in bullying prevention whose
ultimate outcome is to prevent sexual violence. For the
purposes of gang resistance education and training, a school
board must collaborate with State and local law enforcement
agencies. The State Board of Education may assist in the
development of instructional materials and teacher training in
relation to bullying prevention and gang resistance education
and training.
(Source: P.A. 94-937, eff. 6-26-06.)