The Florida Legislature is considering a proposal that would give bullied students a second option, especially if their families aren't eligible for an income-based grant.
That"Hope Scholarship" would be a state-funded private school voucher averaging $6,800 a year for children who say they have been bullied, regardless of income. The grants would be funded by car buyers who voluntarily redirect $105 from their registration fee to the program, under a bill passed by the Florida House. Religious and secular private schools would be eligible.
Under the proposal, students would be eligible if their parents told administrators they had been bullied, battered, harassed, hazed, sexually assaulted or harassed, robbed, kidnapped, threatened or intimidated at school. The allegation wouldn't have to be proved, under the House bill.
But opponents whose children have also been bullied say it would do nothing to stop the problem.
The state teachers union agrees, saying it is part of an effort to weaken public schools.
Florida public schools reported 47,000 bullying incidents last year, but with 3 million students statewide.
The vouchers would cover all or most of the tuition at many religious elementary schools, but many secular private schools and religious high schools charge $12,000 a year or more.
Some opponents said, if legislators want to stop bullying, they should fully fund existing programs such as peer-to-peer intervention, where students are taught to speak up when witnessing abuse.