THE SENATE	S.C.R. NO.	110
TWENTY-FOURTH LEGISLATURE, 2008
STATE OF HAWAII

SENATE CONCURRENT

RESOLUTION

URGING THE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION TO study the feasibility of integrating REHABILITATION PROGRAMS FOR students with anger problems.

     WHEREAS, today's world of modern technology is capable of exposing us to events occurring across the globe, such as the Iraq war, and we are constantly reminded that the issues of aggression and antagonism remain a huge challenge for people to overcome; and

     WHEREAS, the violence that exists within our own country is  made sadly evident by the actions of our youth, including shootings and reports of violence within colleges, high schools, and even in middle and elementary schools; and

     WHEREAS, Hawaii's unique island location serves as a bridge between the East and the West, bringing many different cultures together to create a wonderfully diverse place to live, but such diversity can also lead to tensions; and

     WHEREAS, there have been instances of hostilities within our own schools involving firearms on campus, extreme hazing, and psychological abuse among peers; and

     WHEREAS, currently, Hawaii public school students who engage in acts of violence are not given the tools they need to change their behavior because the most prevalent method of dealing with such behavior is to remove the student from school instead of teaching the student how to properly manage feelings of anger; and

     WHEREAS, as a result of Act 205, Session Laws of Hawaii 2006, programs have been developed to assist students who have used drugs or alcohol, by screening and evaluating the student to determine if they have substance abuse problems and identify the underlying issues that have led them to such behavior; and

     WHEREAS, if a student is diagnosed as having a substance abuse problem, they are placed in a program with a specialist who helps them overcome their addiction; and

     WHEREAS, a similar intervention and rehabilitation program should be put into place to provide students with anger management issues with the help they need to manage their feelings of frustration and antagonism learn more productive outlets for such feelings and avoid acting out in violence; now, therefore,

     BE IT RESOLVED by the Senate of the Twenty-fourth Legislature of the State of Hawaii, Regular Session of 2008, the House of Representatives concurring, that the Department of Education (DOE) is requested to study the feasibility of establishing an anger management program modeled after  substance abuse programs to provide students who commit acts of violence or harassment at their school with the tools they need to change their behavior; and

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that DOE is requested to submit a report to the Legislature, no later than 20 days prior to convening of the Regular Session of 2009, on the progress of its study, including:

     (1)  Proposals for DOE anger management programs; and

     (2)  Projected costs of the proposed programs;;

and

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that certified copies of this Concurrent Resolution be transmitted to the Chairperson of the Board of Education and Superintendent of Education.

OFFERED BY:

_____________________________

Report Title: 

Anger Management; DOE Programs