Burns: Latest anti-bullying efforts to be presented Monday, Aug. 19
Details on legislation, cutting-edge software and pilot program unveiled
Rep. Frank Burns August 15, 2019 | 10:02 AM
EBENSBURG, Aug. 15 – As part of his effort to stamp out bullying, state Rep. Frank Burns and Penn Cambria School District will discuss a one-year pilot program using free software supplied by a Johnstown-based firm, at a 10 a.m. Monday, Aug. 19 news conference at the Penn Cambria High School library, 401 Linden Ave., Cresson.
The incident-tracking software is being supplied gratis by HIBster, whose acronym stands for Harassment, Intimidation and Bullying, and whose program is already in use at hundreds of New Jersey schools, as well as the Philadelphia and Erie school districts.
HIBster’s involvement arose from its participation in an anti-bullying House Policy Committee hearing Burns organized last fall at the Hiram G. Andrews Center in Upper Yoder Township. The company’s software not only determines what types of bullying incidents are occurring; it also helps administrators handle bullying investigations, prepares reports for parents of bullies, and allows anonymous complaints to be sent to a designated school staff member.
Burns will also discuss his reintroduction of a bill to hold parents accountable for their child’s bullying and his bill to create an Anti-Bullying Bill of Rights in Pennsylvania, the latter of which spells out the rights of students, parents and schools.
Contact Burns’ Ebensburg office at 814-472-8021
for more information.
Media coverage is invited.