March 12, 2010

ATLANTA (AP) -- Efforts to update Georgia's anti-bullying statute stalled in the House as its supporters faced opposition from fellow representatives.

Rep. Mike Jacobs tabled the bill Thursday after lengthy debate with his colleagues. House Bill 927 would expand the state's current law against bullying to include students in kindergarten through fifth grade and would allow administrators to transfer a bully to another school after the first incident rather than the third.

The bill, which would also make it a crime for principals to knowingly not report bullying to authorities, was prompted by an incident involving an 11-year-old DeKalb County student who allegedly killed himself last year because of merciless teasing.

Opponents argued that overzealous enforcement of the bill could unnecessarily punish some students.

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