At The Law Firm of Morgan Rooks, PC, we take immense pride in our role as trusted workplace sexual harassment lawyers in South Jersey, but we’re also quite proud of the state in which we practice. Our lawmakers have taken a strong stance in combating discrimination in all its forms and ensuring that citizens’ rights are protected from the unfair and malicious actions of others. This applies to the workplace, but also our schools.
Even though school bullying reportedly has declined in New Jersey since 2011, when the state enacted its Anti-Bullying Bill of Rights Act, the anti-bullying crusade continues. Mallory’s Law was introduced to the New Jersey Legislature in February of 2019, toughening an already tough policy in an effort to protect innocent kids.
Mallory’s Law is named after Mallory Rose Grossman, who took her own life in 2017 – at the age of 12 – after suffering bullying at school and on social media.
Here are a few of the key provisions:
- Any incidence of bullying must be reported to the executive superintendent in the county where it occurs
- Parents of any children involved in the bullying incident must be notified
- If a child is proven to be acting as a bully, the incident goes on his/her permanent record
- After three offenses, the bullying child and his/her parents must attend anti-bullying training
- After three offenses, law enforcement must be notified and investigate if a crime has been committed
- In some cases, parents of the proven bully can be charged in civil court for neglecting to supervise the child
Yes, it’s true: In New Jersey, you now could potentially take legal action if your child has been repeatedly bullied. Proving the case would most likely be complicated and challenging. But the fact that New Jersey is putting this possibility on the table is a big step in the right direction.
Stronger legal protection for the victims of bullying, we hope, will save young lives. We’ll be watching closely to see how Mallory’s Law further improves the bullying situation in our state.
At The Law Firm of Morgan Rooks, PC, we specialize in standing up for victims of all types of discrimination. If you have questions about how New Jersey’s anti-bullying law could affect you, or you need to seek legal advice from our South Jersey-based lawyers about disability harassment at work, please call us to schedule a consultation.