Senators Kuipers, Cropsey, Bishop, Jelinek, Kahn, George, Garcia, Allen, Van Woerkom, Stamas, Gilbert, Brown, Hardiman, Birkholz, McManus, Pappageorge, Whitmer, Cherry and Anderson offered the following resolution:

            Senate Resolution No. 168.

            A resolution to encourage school districts to adopt and implement character education programs that address the causes of and remedies to bullying.

            Whereas, Students need a safe and civil school environment in which to learn. Bullying disrupts a student's opportunity to learn and a school's ability to educate students in a safe environment; and

            Whereas, Standards for student behavior must be set to produce an atmosphere that encourages students to grow in self-discipline. Character education programs include an anti-bullying curriculum that teaches students how to recognize and react to bullying as well as to develop character traits that reinforce self-discipline. Through character education programs, students learn to assume responsibility for their behavior and its consequences. Students learn to develop self-respect and a proper regard for the rights and welfare of other students and school personnel; and

            Whereas, Character education programs in schools help define and develop anti-bullying behavior and create a safe and civil school environment in which to learn; now, therefore, be it

            Resolved by the Senate, That we encourage school districts to adopt and implement character education programs that address the causes of and remedies to bullying; and be it further

            Resolved, That copies of this resolution be transmitted to the Michigan Superintendent of Public Instruction, the State Board of Education, and all of Michigan's public school districts.