On March 12, 2019 Dr. Randy Watson, Kansas Education Commissioner, announced his intention to form a Blue Ribbon Task Force on Bullying. Citing data that 28% of students in grades six through twelve experience bullying, Commissioner Watson stated, “Everywhere I go, parents want to discuss this issue. There are no easy answers.” While anti-bullying measures have been in place for many years, efforts to eradicate bullying in schools have not fully succeeded. This task force researched and identified bullying trends, data, and prevention measures occurring across the state in an effort to better understand how to combat this problem.

The Blue Ribbon Task Force on Bullying was co-chaired by Dr. Rick Ginsberg, Dean of the University of Kansas School of Education, and Mr. James Regier, Superintendent of Whitewater-Remington USD 206. The task force consisted of 30 – 40 members representing a variety of stakeholder groups including, but not limited to; parents, State Board of Education, Kansas Legislators, educators, school mental health specialists, and a variety of experts from groups that are disproportionately impacted by bullying.

The task force heard testimony from stakeholder groups at meetings across the State of Kansas. Information from these meetings was used to develop recommendations that were presented to the State Board of Education in December of 2019.

Meeting Dates
May 28^th, Orion Service Center, Clearwater
June 18^th, Horace Good Middle School, Garden City
August 5, Smokey Hill Service Center, Salina
September 25^th, Greenbush Service Center, Girard
October 30^th, Joyce Focht Instructional Support Center, Wichita (not a public meeting/Workgroups work day)
November 6^th, Greenbush Service Center, Lawrence
December 2^nd, Kansas Health Institute, Topeka