Identity-Based Bullying in Texas Schools: Policy Recommendations. Issue Brief

Intercultural Development Research Association. 5835 Callaghan Road Suite 350, San Antonio, TX 78228-1190. Tel: 210-444-1710; Fax: 210-444-1714; Web site: http://www.idra.org

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Bullying; Victims; School Culture; School Safety; Educational Environment; Elementary Secondary Education; Antisocial Behavior; Inclusion; Minority Group Students; African American Students; Hispanic American Students; Gender Discrimination; Students with Disabilities; Religious Discrimination; LGBTQ People; Social Bias; Crime; Student Welfare; Educational Practices; Prevention; Educational Policy; Discipline; Discipline Policy; State Legislation; Data Use; Trauma; Misinformation

To develop safe and healthy school environments, schools must be able to respond to bullying and harassment appropriately and take deliberate action to prevent it. This includes incidences where the bullying taking place is based on or related to a student's identity, such as their race, ethnicity, national origin, sex, gender, religion or disability status. Students across Texas have been increasingly reporting alarming examples of identity-based bullying in schools -- fueled in part by misinformation spread as a result of recent efforts to attack and undermine diversity, equity and inclusion efforts in education. According to a recent report by the Charles Butt Foundation, Texas parents identified bullying as the greatest risk to safety, belonging and inclusion in Texas schools (2023). Parents of color are particularly concerned with the risk of racial bullying and discrimination in their schools: 69% of Black parents and 59% of Latino parents reported feeling that students face a moderate or large risk of discrimination based on their race or ethnicity. These findings are also supported by national data recently reviewed by the Pew Research Center (Minkin & Menasce Horowitz, 2023). Bullying and harassment jeopardize students' ability to learn and undermine a school's climate, leaving many students, staff, and communities feeling unsafe and disconnected (Craven 2022). It must be ensured that students, school communities and parents have the necessary tools to prevent and address identity-based bullying and can support all students impacted by it. Policymakers can prevent and effectively address identity-based bullying by implementing the recommendations provided in this brief.

ERIC

2025

ED677354