According to the Los Angeles Times, public schools soon could expel students for bullying through video or sexting if Gov. Jerry Brown signs two bills sent to him Wednesday.
Assemblyman Ed Chau (D-Monterey Park) said he drafted AB 2536 to address increasing instances of teen sexting, in which a person sends a nude or sexually explicit photo of him or herself electronically.
It would require the California Department of Education to publish information on sexual cyberbullying online and encourage schools to teach students about sexting. It also would define “cyber sexual bullying” as sharing nude photos or videos of others “with the purpose or effect of humiliating or harassing” a student.
“The act of sexting, which some view as a normal adolescent activity, exposes teens to bullying or harassment," Chau said in a statement. “This type of bullying has unfortunately resulted in some teenagers committing suicide, and has left schools at a loss on how to address the complex challenges it presents.”
A related bill, AB 2212 by Assemblyman Matthew Harper (R-Huntington Beach), would give public schools authority to expel students who post harassing videos.
The current definition of “bullying via an electronic act” specifically covers text messages, Internet postings, audio and photos, but does not explicitly include video.
The California Assembly passed both bills unanimously Wednesday. They now move to the governor’s desk.
