The Florida House today gave bipartisan approval to legislation creating a new school choice program for victims of bullying and violence.
The Hope Scholarship proposal stirred passions on both sides. Supporters and opponents recounted their own experiences with bullies growing up.
The program would allow victims to transfer to another public school, or qualify for a scholarship to attend a private school. The scholarships would be funded by car buyers who choose to support the program. They could receive a credit of up to $105 on the sales taxes they would pay on a vehicle. Scholarship funding organizations, including Step Up For Students, which publishes this blog, would help administer the program.
Rep. Jennifer Sullivan, R-Mount Dora, relayed a message from a student who recently served as a page at the state capitol. The student described relentless bullying, which didn’t stop even after she transferred to another public school. She finally found refuge after her parents sent her to a private school.
“I hope that you’ll join me … to be an advocate for these students,” Sullivan said to her colleagues.
Opponents argued the program would address the symptoms of bullying and harassment, not the underlying problems. And they argued the state should provide more funding to help public schools combat the problem.
Children could qualify for scholarships 15 days after their parents reported an incident, or after public school officials completed their investigation, whichever came first.
Rep. Sean Shaw, D-Tampa, argued that would allow parents to allege, but not prove, incidents of violence before they could obtain a scholarship.
“There’s got to be someone that says, ‘Yes, bullying was taking place,'” he said. Otherwise, “I just think this has the potential to be used for parents who just want to switch schools.”
An amendment last week by Rep. Shevrin Jones, D-West Park, would give students a third option under the program. Victims, as well as bullies, could remain in their public schools and receive counseling.
Jones joined a small number of Democrats who supported the bill in a 71-41 vote. He pledged to seek further changes next year, including more robust investigations of the incidents that allow students to qualify.
State data show roughly 47,000 qualifying incidents occurred in public schools during the most recent year for which data is available.
The sponsor of the HB 1, Rep. Byron Donalds, R-Naples, recounted the funding increases and anti-bullying laws the Legislature has approved since 2000. He noted lawmakers plan to increase the “Safe Schools” funding allocation in response to last month’s mass shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School. None of those policies, he said, could totally eradicate bullying on its own.
“It’s always been about victims,” he said, adding his goal is to empower parents to find their children “an environment to learn peacefully.”
The proposal is also part of the much broader HB 7055, which faces a contentious debate in the state Senate.
