Eight months after Cy-Fair middle school student Asher Brown's suicide, the Texas Senate unanimously approved "anti-bullying" legislation aimed at giving school administrators authority to prevent ongoing harassment of students.
The bill returns to the House, which is expected to concur with Senate amendments and send it to Gov. Rick Perry for his signature.
Amy and David Truong, Asher's mother and stepfather, watched from the Senate gallery as the legislation was adopted unanimously.
The Truongs say they complained to school officials for months before 13-year-old Asher's suicide that he was being bullied, but received no help from Hamilton Middle School administrators. He died of a self-inflicted gunshot wound at home last September.
State Sen. Leticia Van de Putte, D-San Antonio, said the legislation will allow school officials to reassign bullies or their victims to other campuses or classes.
Added Sen. John Whitmire, D-Houston, "The real goal is prevention. We've got to hold public school officials accountable when they know about these acts."
'More proactive stance'
Van de Putte, who tearfully hugged the Truongs after the bill's passage, thanked "the courage of many families" who advocated for the legislation.
"This bill … represents the consensus statement by the Legislature we will no longer tolerate doing nothing," about bullying in Texas public schools, she said.
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