Gina Tron
BARRE — Barre could become one of a very small number of municipalities nationwide with a stand-alone anti-bullying ordinance if the Justice, Equity, Diversity, Inclusion, and Belonging Committee moves forward with a proposal now under discussion.
One agenda item at the committee’s July 9 meeting was to use its Equity Assessment Tool to examine the Barre Unified Union School District’s harassment and bullying policies, particularly policy C10. The district’s policy on the prevention of harassment, hazing, and bullying of students was adopted in 2019 and, according to district documents, revised on June 1. The revision came just weeks after a 13-year-old school district student died by suicide, a tragedy that prompted community conversations about bullying and how LGBTQ+ residents are treated in the community.
“There’s a heightened awareness in the community of bullying,” committee member and former chair Joelen Mulvaney said during the meeting.
Mulvaney, mother of Burlington mayor Emma Mulvaney-Stanak, expressed concern that reviewing the school’s policy now could “set them off.”
“We really do need to stay in our own lane,” she said, emphasizing the committee is part of municipal government, not the school district. She added that the school is “very sensitive right now to this particular issue.”
The committee voted unanimously to table the review of the school district’s policy, deciding instead to explore creating an anti-bullying and harassment policy or ordinance.
“A lot of bullying probably takes place in students’ homes, on social media, and that’s not covered by the jurisdiction of the school district,” committee member Christopher Roberts said. “I see no compelling reason not to have an anti-bullying ordinance that is geared toward that particular issue, for a variety of reasons.”
Mulvaney said if they want to propose an anti-bullying and harassment policy, it should be “for the entire community, including the adults.”
“If we keep focusing on children’s behavior, we’re not getting anywhere, because where the hell do we think they learn it?” she said.
The group discussed using policy C10 as a template for a policy or ordinance. Members said they intend to review existing city ordinances that may already address harassment or bullying. They are also considering incorporating anti-bullying language into another city ordinance, specifically ordinance 25, which governs public conduct in parks and public spaces.
If adopted, this would place Barre among a very small number of municipalities nationwide that have enacted anti-bullying ordinances. Municipal anti-bullying ordinances are very rare and unlike school anti-bullying policies — which are required under state laws and adopted by school districts — there is no widespread framework for city governments to regulate bullying.
A few municipalities, including Monona and Sun Prairie in Wisconsin, have adopted anti-bullying ordinances. In the case of Monona, the ordinance carries civil municipal citations. Parental responsibility for bullying can carry a municipal penalty of $50 for a first violation and $100 for subsequent violations.
“It [bullying] is a hot topic right now in the city,” Mulvaney said. “A lot of people are looking at this and are interested in doing something. It might be just the right time to populate a working group.”
The committee unanimously voted to create an anti-bullying working group. Rick Pereira said it could provide a space for community members to share ideas about combatting bullying. He said the group could also work with the Barre City Council on creating an ordinance or amending ordinance 25.
The Justice, Equity, Diversity, Inclusion, and Belonging committee was formed in 2020 to examine the city’s studies, ordinances, and policies, identify barriers to equity, and recommend solutions that support racial, cultural, ethnic, socioeconomic, and other forms of diversity.
