The statistics are disheartening- bullying is a growing epidemic in today’s society and has become a pressing social and educational concern. Described as a repetitive, aggressive behavior, bullying can cause depression, anxiety, increased feeling of sadness and loneliness; it threatens students physical and emotional safety and can negatively impact their ability to learn. With the power of developed strategies, school communities can help identify and support the victims, redirect the intimidation, and change the attitudes of adults and youth tolerating harassment in peer groups and schools.
Realizing the importance of the issue, the Florida Legislature introduced and subsequently passed the HOPE Scholarship Program that gives public school children in Florida relief from the violent treatment by assisting and giving parents the opportunity to transfer the child to another school within the same district, transfer the child to another school district, or secure funds for the student to attend an eligible private school.
Effective October 1st 2018, every customer who purchases a new or used vehicle is provided with the option to designate up to $105.00 of the sales tax due towards “The HOPE Scholarship Program”. The Martin County Tax Collector’s Office, dealers and tag agencies, are required to provide a HOPE Scholarship Program Contribution Election form to each purchaser. The received contributions are then reported to the Department of Revenue according to the designed reporting period. Funds are distributed to the state approved non-profit scholarship funding organization.
Contingent upon the availability, scholarships are awarded to eligible students. “Say NO to Bullying” and help these children escape this abusive behavior.