Anti-Bullying 'Mallory's Law' Advances In NJ Senate

ROCKAWAY, NJ — Two years after her untimely death, Mallory Grossman continues to have an impact in New Jersey after the "Mallory's Law" bill advanced in the state Senate.

The bill, S-3433, would build on the "Anti-Bullying Bill Of Rights" to toughen anti-bullying regulations in New Jersey. Combined, the two laws would make for some of the strictest anti-bullying laws in the nation.

"Mallory's Law" was voted out of the Senate Education Committee on Monday, after Mallory's mother, Dianne, spoke before the committee. The bill is sponsored in the Senate by Senators Joe Pennacchio, a North Jersey Republican, and Patrick Diegnan, a Democrat from Middlesex County.

"I am grateful to Chairwoman Ruiz and the members of the committee for hearing us today," said Dianne Grossman. "I am grateful for Senator Pennacchio and Senator Diegnan for standing with us. We look forward to President Sweeney’s support in advancing this important matter. This bill supports families, school systems and anyone who may be impacted by bullying."

Mallory Grossman was a 12-year-old gymnast and cheerleader from Rockaway, who took her own in 2017 life after relentless bullying, her parents said.

Under Mallory's law, the reporting and notification process for bullying incidents would be expanded: any accounts of bullying would be sent to the executive county superintendent and the parents of any students involved.

Any student found guilty of bullying would have the incident placed on their permanent record. After three proven bullying incidents, a student and their parents would be required to attend an anti-bullying training session, and law enforcement would be notified to see if any crimes were committed.

"School bullying is killing our children," said Pennacchio. "I cannot fathom the pain Mallory’s family suffers through every day. Bullying is preventable and addressable, so we shouldn’t have to just tolerate or accept it. 'Mallory’s Law' is recognition that stopping the culture of bullying requires a multi-faceted approach that involves students, parents, teachers, and school administrators."

What make's "Mallory's Law" different from other anti-bullying laws is the involvement of parents. Under the new bill, parents could face civil liabilities if they show "blatant disregard of supervising their child, [or] if their child has been judged to be delinquent of harassment or cyber harassment," a press release says.

"We have to do more to protect our kids when bullies can harass them at any time of the day via apps Snapchat and Instagram, or even when they’re playing video games like Fortnite," Pennacchio added. "'Mallory's Law' will ensure the bully, parents, and the school are made well aware of any incidents, and that proper disciplinary actions are taken before we lose more young lives."

The Grossmans have become anti-bullying advocates in the wake of their daughter's death, launching the advocacy group Mallory's Army. Dianne Grossman conducts workshops and speeches to share her daughter's story and call for anti-bullying prevention efforts.

Mallory's Army was previously honored in the Senate with a resolution recognizing their efforts.

Mallory Grossman took her own life following what her parents have said was horrific bullying. The Grossman family said in a lawsuit that the school failed to prevent bullying from four classmates, and administrator's actions made Mallory's suffering worse.

According to the suit, a group of four girls bullied Mallory at home via social media, in the classroom, and in the lunchroom, actions the family claims directly led to Mallory's suicide death on June 14, 2017. The suit says the school district fell short of a legal obligation to prevent bullying.

School officials have generally declined to comment, citing privacy laws, but issued a statement in August 2017 calling claims they failed to act "categorically false."

No criminal charges were filed in Mallory's death, a move the Grossman family lawyer called disappointing.

"An indictment would certainly send a message to others that this conduct is not acceptable and has consequences," Bruce Nagel, the Grossman family lawyer, told Patch.

Read More About Mallory Grossman:

• 6 Of The Most Disturbing Claims In NJ Bullying Death Lawsuit
• 1 Year Later, Mallory Grossman Lives On In Anti-Bullying Efforts
• Mallory Grossman's Mom Shares Painful New Bullying Details
• Bullying Of Mallory Grossman, 12, Detailed In Wrongful Death Suit
• 'Mallory's Army' Fights Back Against Bullying After 12-Year-Old's Sudden Death

THE BULLY MENACE: WHAT'S AHEAD
Several experts have agreed to answer Patch readers' questions about bullying, ranging from how to keep their kids from becoming targets to what to do if their kids are the bullies. We'll also delve into some of the issues surrounding bullying — Take a look back at some of the stories in our series:

• Bullied To Death: When Kids Kill With Words
• America's Shameful Truth About School Shooters And Bullying
• They All Failed Changed Child: Malden Bullying Detailed
• Bullies, Their Targets The Same In A Surprising Number Of Cases
• 'Everyday, I Wear Your Words,' Teen Tells Bullies In Video
• Teen's 'I Wear Your Words' Video Inspires Nashville Songwriters
• Bullying Of Mallory Grossman, 12, Spelled Out In Wrongful Death Lawsuit
• Poetry Teacher Helps Bullied Kids Open Their Tortured Minds
• Why These Kindergartners Start Each Day With A Simple Handshake

If you have a question or want to share your story, please email bullies@patch.com.

If you or someone you know is in crisis, call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-8255, or text the Crisis Text Line at 741-741.