If you are having thoughts of SUICIDE or thinking of harming yourself, CALL 988 or 911 NOW!

During the 85th Texas Legislature, SB 179 - "David’s Law" was passed and signed into law effective September 1, 2017. The newly enacted law relates to harassment, bullying and cyberbullying of a public school student, a charter school student or a minor and encouraging certain mental health programs for public school students; increasing a criminal penalty, and providing a civil remedy.

The bill text and supporting information from David’s Legacy Foundation can be accessed below.

What Parents Can Do to Help Schools Prevent Bullying

Every adult plays an important role in addressing bullying and making schools a safer place for children to learn and employees to work.

• Bullying can take many forms, such as hitting or punching (physical bullying); teasing or name-calling (verbal bullying); intimidation using gestures or social exclusion (nonverbal bullying or emotional bullying); unwanted sexual contact (sexual bullying); and sending insulting messages by e-mail, texting or social media sites (cyber bullying).

  Parents

  • Talk to your child about bullying.

  • Ask your child questions.

  • If you believe your child is the victim of bullying, please report it to a campus administrator as soon as possible.

  • Report your concerns to the Mineola ISD Police Department at 903-569-2448 x2801 or if you would like to remain anonymous you may use the STOPit app.

  Warning signs of bullying are when your child

  • Does not want to go to school;

  • Dislikes or has lost interest in school work;

  • Has few, if any, friends;

  • Appears sad, anxious or moody when talking about school;

  • Complains of headaches, stomach aches;

  • Has unexplained cuts, bruises and/or scratches;

  • Appears afraid of going back to school;

  • Returns from school with torn, damaged or missing articles of clothing, books or belongings; and/or

  • Has trouble sleeping and/or has frequent nightmares.

The Texas School Safety Center has developed a series of hypothetical scenarios as a resource to provide further guidance, and act as an example, when using the Bullying Checklist for Schools. Each of the scenarios provides a hypothetical scenario and then applies each component of the checklist to the situation, ultimately determining if the action or actions meets the legal definition of bullying according to the Texas Education Code. Mineola ISD has found this resource to be extremely helpful and insightful.

Click the link below to learn more about how to apply these laws within hypothetical School Based Scenarios.

Your Voice Can Be the Difference: Share Anonymously, Save a Life.

Usually, keeping secrets is part of being a good friend. But when someone is struggling with thoughts of suicide, sharing that information could save their life. The STOPit App lets you reach out to safe and trusted adults who are ready to help. Being brave enough to submit a TIP is an easy way to look out for your friend and make a real difference when it matters most.

The STOPit App is available to all MISD students and parents to support you. If you ever find yourself struggling with thoughts of self-harm, please reach out. We need you here.

Silence Isn’t Safety: Connect Anonymously, & Get Support.