FIRST LADY JUDGE KATIE O’MALLEY TO PARTICIPATE IN WHITE HOUSE CONFERENCE ON BULLYING PREVENTION

Joins experts and community leaders from across the nation at the White House to combat bullying

ANNAPOLIS, MD  – TODAY, First Lady Judge Katie O’Malley will join President and First Lady Obama, the U.S. Department of Education and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services to participate in the White House Conference on Bullying Prevention.

The White House will bring together community leaders, victims and experts from across the nation to address the effects of bullying and the work that parents, teachers and students can do to prevent such instances. The conference includes an opening session with the President and First Lady Obama, breakout sessions and a panel to discuss policies and programs to prevent bullying.

As a mother of four, Judge O’Malley is committed to addressing bullying in Maryland. Though Maryland is the seventh state to enact an anti-bullying law that protects all students, there are still many instances of bullying throughout communities and schools. During the 2008-2009 school year in Maryland, a total of 1,686 incidents of bullying were reported. Last year, the First Lady teamed up with the Maryland State Department of Education to declare Bullying Prevention and Awareness Week in May to encourage schools across the state to engage students in events to stress non-tolerance towards bullying. The First Lady also recorded a video for the It Gets Better campaign to give hope to LGBT youth and other young people facing bullying and harassment.