Our Impact
Davids Law
In 2016, after a barrage of repetitive and ruthless harassment, David Molak, a 16-year-old student in San Antonio, TX took his own life. ​
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​Despite the efforts of his school and family, little was done to stop the other students' behavior. At that time, bullying laws were all but nonexistent in Texas education. Taking their well of grief and using it to fuel a better future, the Molak family, along with NGAN Excel, pushed Texas to adopt policies that would protect children from the type of abuse David had endured.
This law prohibits bullying against other students, and protects those that come forward with information. In addition to outlining the increased emotional and mental support provided by counselors, the law makes incident reporting easily accessible to all, gets families involved more quickly, and makes legal investigations required. It didn’t stop there.
In 2019, we aided in making modifications to the law. Those modifications included changes to the school curriculum—which now requires students receive education in the consequences of participating in bullying—and required educators to be trained on suicide provention techniques.
SeMarion Humphery
In March 2021, a video of his white peers forcing him to drink their urine at a sleepover began circulating online. It wasn’t the first time he had been harassed by his peers. ​
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Despite voicing their concerns over the physical assault, mental abuse, and hate speech SeMarion was enduring on and off campus, his family’s request for a district investigation was ignored and the incidents continued. Though David’s Law was in effect, legal loopholes were easily exploited.
Our organization gave SeMarion and his family the platform they were being denied. We amplified their voices through direct actions: Protests at Plano PD Headquarters, advocating at PISD school board meetings, meeting with then-Superintendent Sara Bonser, and bringing attention to the numerous other groups that had come forward with their own personal experiences in PISD.
In our advocacy of SeMarion, NGAN Excel—partnering with the Barbara Jordan Leadership Institute and Texas Senator José Menéndez of District 26— would help lead the amendment of David’s law during the 86th (2019) legislative session by eliminating the caveats built into the original law, thus making Texas schools safer for our children.
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