[Congressional Record Volume 155, Number 68 (Tuesday, May 5, 2009)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1061]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                    THE SAFE SCHOOLS IMPROVEMENT ACT

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                         HON. LINDA T. SANCHEZ

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                          Tuesday, May 5, 2009

  Ms. LINDA T. SANCHEZ of California. Madam Speaker, today I am 
introducing the Safe Schools Improvement Act. My lead co-sponsors Rep. 
McCarthy, Rep. Ros-Lehtinen and I strongly believe this bill provides 
crucial support to our efforts to reduce the national drop-out rate and 
make schools safer for all students.
  An unsafe school environment interferes with students' ability to 
learn. Children who are bullied miss more school, have lower self-
esteem, and are more likely to drop-out or commit suicide than those 
who are not. Nearly 40 percent of middle-school and high-school 
students report that they do not feel safe at school and one in 10 high 
school drop-outs report that frequent bullying was a major reason they 
dropped out. As we move to reauthorize the landmark No Child Left 
Behind law, we must examine and address how improvements in school 
safety can positively affect student attendance and academic 
achievement.
  The Safe Schools Improvement Act would require schools that receive 
funding from the Safe and Drug-Free Schools and Communities Act to 
implement an anti-bullying policy that protects students from bullying 
and harassment. It also requires these schools to collect data 
regarding bullying and harassment incidents and would allow them teach 
students about the consequences of bullying and harassment.
  Today's children are the economic engine of our future, and we are 
relying on schools to provide the education they need. Congress must 
therefore help schools provide safe places for students to learn. If we 
do not, we risk losing more children to the streets, to depression, or 
even to suicide. America's children deserve our support. They deserve 
the Safe Schools Improvement Act.

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