Carson City California is working to pass an ordinance making the act of picking on others a crime.
This is just the latest in a trend over the last few years to pass legislation aimed at putting a stop to bullying, including a similar ordinance that was passed in a Wisconsin city.
What city officials hope to achieve with the ordinance is “intervening in both the bully’s life, who is a person who is hurting too, and the victim’s life,” said Carson City Mayor Jim Dear.
If passed, parents who’s kids are accused of bullying would be required to attend a juvenile court hearing and an offender could face jail time.
Opponents say that ordinances like this go too far in trying to curb the verbal and physical abuse so many children are facing, and an attorney for the American Civil Liberties Union of Southern California noted that the ordinance doesn’t outline the amount of jail time an offender could face.
Do you feel an ordinance like this would help curb bullying in your community? Would you support such an ordinance?