Bullying remains a serious and often overlooked threat to the safety, mental health, and well-being of children in our schools. Despite existing anti-bullying policies, many students continue to experience repeated harassment, intimidation, social isolation, and emotional abuse without effective intervention from school officials.

The tragic death of 11-year-old Nadiya Santiago, who died by suicide after enduring ongoing bullying, highlights the devastating consequences that can occur when warning signs are ignored and meaningful action is not taken. No child should feel so hopeless, isolated, or unprotected that they believe death is their only escape.

Too often, victims of bullying are expected to endure abuse while disciplinary measures for those responsible are inconsistent, ineffective, or nonexistent. Schools must be held accountable for responding promptly to reports of bullying, protecting vulnerable students, and ensuring that repeated or severe bullying behavior is addressed before it escalates into tragedy.

Nadiya’s Law seeks to strengthen protections for students by:

• Requiring immediate investigation of bullying complaints.
• Establishing meaningful consequences for serious or repeated bullying.
• Providing mandatory mental health evaluation and intervention for students who engage in severe bullying behavior.
• Ensuring schools take proactive steps to protect victims and prevent retaliation.
• Increasing accountability when schools fail to address documented bullying.

Nadiya’s story is a heartbreaking reminder that bullying is not merely a childhood rite of passage—it is a serious issue that can have life-altering and fatal consequences. This legislation is proposed in loving memory of Nadiya Santiago and in the hope that no other child or family will suffer a similar loss.

In Loving Memory of Nadiya Santiago
“Every child deserves to feel safe, valued, and protected at school.”