Gov. Branstad?s bullying summit to address solutions

DES MOINES (AP) ? Educators, parents and students will gather for Gov. Terry Branstad?s second summit on bullying prevention.

The event is today in Des Moines. This year?s theme is ?Mission Possible: Stepping Up the Response,? and is a follow-up to last year?s summit that drew about 1,100 people.

The summit?s keynote speaker is Emily Bazelon, author of the book ?Sticks and Stones: Defeating the Culture of Bullying and Rediscovering the Power of Character and Empathy.?

During the summit, there will be sessions on how students and adults can make a difference. Participants will explore good legal policy and the support schools may need to better deal with bullying.

The governor?s push for anti-bullying legislation meant to help school districts combat harassment on social media sites failed during the last legislative session.