HomeMy WebLinkAboutResolutions - 2007.04.26 - 9355Miscellaneous Resolution # 07110
BY: Commissioners Karen Spector, District #16, Tim Burns, District #19, David Woodward,
District #18
RE: Board of Commissioners — Support for Safe Schools and Anti-Bullying Programs
TO: Oakland County Board of Commissioners
Chairperson, Ladies and Gentlemen:
WHEREAS according to the National Youth Violence Prevention Resource Center, almost 30% of
youth in the United States are estimated to be involved in bullying as either the bully, a target of
bullying, or both; and
WHEREAS research in the Journal of the American Medical Association suggests that one out of
every three students in grades 6 through 10 have been involved in a bullying incident; and
WHEREAS teen bul)fing is often a warning sign that children and teens are heading for trouble and
are at risk for serious violence. Teens who bully are more likely to engage in other delinquent
behavior (e.g.; vandalism, shoplifting, truancy, and drug use) into adulthood; and
WHEREAS according to the Center for Disease Control, bullies are four times more likely than non-
bullies to be convicted of crimes by age 24; and
WHEREAS harassment and bullying have been linked to 75 percent of school-shooting incidents,
according to the U.S. Secret Service Report, May 2002; and
WHEREAS according to Oakland Schools, bullying is the most frequently occurring form of violence
in schools, and
WHEREAS in the wake of the 1999 Columbine High School shooting tragedy in Colorado, Oakland
County Prosecutor David Gorcyca launched a very successful anti-bullying program entitled, "The
School Violence Prevention Program"; and
WHEREAS funding for the anti-bullying program provided for a full-time social worker who taught
teaching faculty and students at area schools to appropriately deal with bullying; and
WHEREAS the Juvenile Accountability Block Grant (JABG) previously provided partial funding for
the Special Revenue Social Worker I (Position 41101-09819) in the Prosecuting Attorney's Office.
The position was sunset on December 24. 2005; and
WHEREAS the anti-bullying program helped teach more than 47,000 students about bullying and
conflict resolution in 135 schools: and
WHEREAS in schools where the program was implemented administrators noticed a decline of 20
to 30 percent in behavioral problem and disciplinary issues; and
WHEREAS the County's anti-bullying program was forced to end at the beginning of 2006, due to a
cut in federal funding
NOW THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that the Oakland County Board of Commissioners
expresses strong support for the anti-bullying program to improve the safety of young people and
reduce school violence
Commissioner David Woodward
District #18
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BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Oakland County Board of Commissioners hereby approves a
budget amendment in the amount of up to $70,000 from the FY 2006-2007 Contingency Fund
needed to re-establish the Prosecuting Attorney's School Violence Program, including the
reinstatement of the Social Worker position (Position 41101-09819).
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Oakland County Board of Commissioners hereby requests
that the Prosecuting Attorney s School Violence Program be included in the Fiscal Year 2008-2009
Budget.
Chairperson we move the adoption of the foregoing Resolution.
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Resolution #07110 April 26, 2007
The Chairperson referred the resolution to the Public Services Committee. There were no objections.