Virginia schools now must notify parents of bullying incidents sooner

ALEXANDRIA, Va. — Among the hundreds of new laws to take effect locally on July 1, one of them focuses on how alleged incidents of bullying in Virginia schools are addressed to families.

Gov. Glenn Youngkin (R-Virginia) signed SB 1072, which “requires each local school board to require the principal of each public school or his designee to notify the parent of any student who is involved in an alleged bullying incident of the alleged incident within 24 hours of learning of such allegation.”

The current law only requires the principal to notify parents about the investigation in an alleged incident within five school days of when they first found out.

“So much can happen in between the amount of 24 hours and five days,” said Parents Against Bullying Virginia Founder & CEO Shant’a Miller White. “We can be proactive and hit right on it and put things into place.”

Miller White said she wished a similar system had been in place when her child was bullied. She understands each school district has its own policy, but even if it is under investigation, an immediate notification can put teamwork into motion.

Taylor Brock said her 12-year-old son was bullied on a school bus in Fairfax County earlier this year. She transferred him to another school after she claimed the school failed to properly address the concerns and the protective order against the girl caught on camera choking and smacking her son.

Brock said the same girl bullied her son before.

“I don't feel like parents should wait to know if their child is in danger,” Brock said. “I feel the second something happens they should notify the parents.”

Brock said after she pressed charges against the Walt Whitman Middle School student for assault, a Fairfax County judge ordered her to anger management classes once a week for three months.

“I'm actually surprised that it was even a thing that a parent would have to wait five days to know that their child is being bullied,” she added.

Brock learned of the violent school bus incident through her son on the same night. She hopes the new law can help address issues of bullying sooner.

“I'm glad that they did this, but I also don't have a lot of faith in the schools because they have their own rules and regulations they have to follow," added Brock.