For Immediate Release:
Thursday, June 24, 2021
Contact:
Nazneen Ahmed (919) 716-0060
(RALEIGH) Attorney General Josh Stein today released the following statement on the U.S. Supreme Court’s ruling in Mahanoy Area School District v. B.L. Attorney General Stein filed an amicus brief in the case in February.
“Keeping our kids safe is job one for us all. But when bullies target students, they don’t just do it at school anymore. Our children can be bullied anywhere, at any time, in person or online. To protect our kids, it’s important that states have the ability to legislate against bullying or harassment—whether on or off school grounds. My brief, while not supporting either of the parties’ positions in this specific case, underscored the importance of ensuring that schools should maintain their authority to address off-campus bullying and harassment when it is harmful and disruptive.
“This is the exact position the Supreme Court upheld in its ruling. The court reaffirmed that public schools have a special interest in regulating serious or severe bullying or harassment targeting particular people, threats aimed at teachers or other students, and the use of computers or participation in other online school activities. I’m pleased by the court’s ruling, and I’ll continue to do everything in my power to protect North Carolina’s students from behavior that harms them, their education, and their future.”