Bullying guidelines

School principals would be required to to report any instances of bullying to the parents of the students involved under new guidelines from state education officials.

The guidelines released Tuesday by the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education were required under an anti-bullying law Gov. Deval Patrick signed in May.  The proposed rules also would require principals to notify law enforcement officials of bullying, if necessary. State education officials say the guidelines will help school districts develop their own plans to combat bullying. Districts have until Dec. 31 to submit their own plans to the state.

The bill was passed after the suicides of two students said to be victims of intense harassment, 15-year-old Phoebe Prince of South Hadley and 11-year-old Carl Walker-Hoover of Springfield.