SUMMARY:

            This bill would amend Article 6 of Chapter 2 of Title 20 of the O.C.G.A. to provide for a curriculum relating to dating violence and to require LBOE’s to adopt a policy against dating violence.

REQUIREMENTS:

• The required curriculum would be for grades 8-12 and must include:
• • Defining date violence
  • Recognizing dating violence warning signs
  • Understanding characteristics of healthy relationships
• DOE would review and approve the grade level topics and curriculum
• Failure to comply could result in loss of state funding
• The policy would apply to school grounds, on school buses, at an official school bus stop, at any school sponsored activity, field trip, sporting event, function or event whether or not on school grounds.  It would have to include:
• • A statement that dating violence would not be tolerated;
  • Dating violence reporting procedures;
  • Guidelines to responding to at-school incidents; and
  • Discipline procedures specific to such incidents.
• The policy would have to be included in student handbooks and any other policy handbooks

DOE would have to establish a model policy on or before January 1, 2010 with LBOE policy requirements in place by July 1, 2010