Topeka ? The Kansas State Board of Education plans to consider two statements on bullying next week.

The board has been discussing how to address bullying in schools for several months. The discussions started after reports in September and October of a string of suicides nationally among gay teens who had been bullied.

A 2008 state law requires each of the state’s 289 school districts to have anti-bullying policies in place, and most have adopted guidelines from the Kansas Association of School Boards.

The board plans to have a discussion Feb. 8 on a statement reinforcing its support for the law and urging districts to have a method for reporting bullying incidents. It also plans to consider a proposal designating the first week in October as Anti-Bullying Awareness Week.