Parents facing fines for kids who bully

SHAWANO, Wis. — Parents in Shawano, Wisconsin, may soon face hefty fines if their children are bullies.

A new city ordinance effective since last week means parents and guardians could face hundreds of dollars in fines if their children continue to bully others.

The ordinance includes bullying and cyberbullying in school.

"It creates an avenue for us to work with parents to help find solutions," Shawano police Chief Mark Kohl told WGBA.

Kohl said police will work with the school district to identify bullies and notify their parents, giving them 90 days to intervene.

If the parents do not intervene and the bullying continuers, parents will be fined $366. A $681 fine would follow if the bullying led to a second incident within the same year.

"Right now, I think the fines should stay where they're at," Kylee Jones, who has a 16-year-old son with autism who is bullied. "I feel like parents need to communicate with their kids more."

Jones told WFRV that she hopes the ordinance makes her community safer.

Cox Media Group