Pittman on community anti-bullying panel Wednesday evening
Published: February 16th, 2011
CapitolBeatOK Staff Report
Published 16-Feb-2011
State Rep. Anastasia A. Pittman was one of four panelists who were scheduled to discuss crimes that endanger children at a Wednesday evening (February 16) event in north Oklahoma City.
The community panel was slated for 6:30 p.m. in the fellowship hall of Nichols Hills United Methodist Church, 1212 Bedford Drive (between Western and Grand). Topics will include school bullying, domestic violence and cyber crimes, according to Pastor Janice Meese.
“The panel will cover those issues that endanger our children,” Meese said, “the issues that this generation of children and youth face.”
The panel will be moderated by Kathy McCarty, a church member and volunteer for Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASA). CASA is a network of 1,000 program offices that recruit, train and support volunteers to represent the best interests of abused and neglected children in the courtroom and other settings.
Pittman, who served on an anti-bullying task force, will serve alongside Robert Kemmett of the Oklahoma City Police Department, attorney and Oklahoma Bar Association representative to the Oklahoma Domestic Violence Fatality Review Board Gail Strickland, and Alex Corbit of CASA.
Pittman said she looked forward to a vigorous discussion of how the community and the Legislature can better protect children.
“The environment children face growing up can determine what type of adult they become,” said Pittman, an Oklahoma City Democrat. “Reducing crimes against children will not only make life better for this generation, but the next one as well.”
Pittman has filed legislation to address school bullying and will be working closely with state Sen. Andrew Rice to advance House Bill 1976, also known as the “Ty Fields School Bullying Prevention Act,” and Senate Bill 152.
Pittman is known as a strong advocate of education reform, better school policies, and reforms that advance the needs of children.