Colorado lawmakers have recently passed new legislation to help students facing challenging circumstances. Senate Bill 64 says that the staff at schools and teachers will be notified when a student goes through trauma, including abuse, a bad accident, or domestic violence. This will allow them to give special support to those students going through hard moments.
The bill also expands the Safe2Tell program, in which students are able to report anonymously a behavior such as bullying or threats. If a student observes or experiences a traumatic event, he or she will receive a “handle with care” sticker. The teachers are not informed of what happened, but the sticker will signal that the student needs special care.
The Safe2Tell program started after the happening of the 1999 Columbine High School massacre. The program accepts anonymous tips from students, and it gets around 28,000 reports every year. The new law will also make law enforcement agencies report any incident involving students to Safe2Tell.
The bill has numerous supporters from different organizations like the Colorado Education Association and the American Federation of Teachers Colorado. It is hoped that the program will be statewide by 2029.
This new bill is a step towards helping students who are suffering from trauma to get the help they need while still at school and get the education they deserve.
Maelynn Cramer said, “It’s nice that teachers will know when students need extra help. It’ll make school feel safer and make the teachers seem more caring.
The bill is gaining a lot of support since it is targeted at helping students who are experiencing tough times. The bill enables teachers to be alerted when a student needs extra care without revealing personal details. The “handle with care” label will let them know that a student is experiencing a tough time and should be given proper care or even more support.
Educators think this will make schools a more compassionate place—a place where students are heard and cared for. The Safe2Tell program will also aid in working with the schools and law enforcement to keep students safe.
Others are leery about passing the bill, specifically with bringing it into all schools universally by 2029. It is hoped that schools are provided with ample training and support in order for it to be successful.
The bill is an important move in making Colorado schools feel more welcoming for students who are going through tough times.
