Washington ( CNN ) -- Bullying and harassment in schools often includes violations of federally protected civil rights , the federal government warned Tuesday in new guidelines for educators on how to address the problem . If school administrators fail to properly deal with harassment based on gender , race or other issues , they risk being cited for contributing to a pattern of civil rights violations that could , in extreme cases , lead to a cut in federal funding , according to top officials who spoke to reporters on a conference call about the new guidelines . `` In extreme cases , schools could be stripped of their federal education monies if they do n't comply with all of our civil rights laws , '' said Russlynn Ali , assistant secretary for civil rights . Also on the call were Arne Duncan , secretary of education , and White House Domestic Policy Council Director Melody Barnes . The issue of harassment gained prominence this year after a spate of suicides by students who were being bullied . President Obama has called for greater awareness of the problem , saying the nation must `` dispel the myth that bullying is just a normal rite of passage or an inevitable part of growing up . '' The guidelines were part of a letter that began `` Dear Colleague '' sent Tuesday to thousands of schools , colleges , universities and school districts around the country that included examples of bullying and harassment cases that constituted violations of federal civil rights laws . In addition , the government said the White House will host a conference next year on preventing bullying and harassment , building on efforts by Duncan 's department and other agencies . In August , the Obama administration hosted the first National Bullying Summit and launched a national campaign against bullying . Ali said the government proposed $ 410 million in fiscal year 2011 spending for `` successful , safe and healthy students , '' a 12 percent increase over 2010 . In a statement Tuesday , the American Civil Liberties Union welcomed the new government guidelines for making clear that most religious , gender and sexual harassment comes under federal civil rights prohibitions , but it called for expanding the federal law to eliminate any doubt . `` Though the guidance goes far under current law , it does not replace having a federal statute that explicitly protects '' lesbian , gay , bisexual and transgender students , said Laura Murphy , the director of the ACLU 's Washington legislative office . Murphy called for Congress to pass the Student Non-Discrimination Act , a bill pending in the House and Senate that the ACLU said would guarantee that homosexual and transgender students are explicitly protected from harassment and discrimination under federal law .
New federal funds sent to nation 's schools and colleges . Failure to respond properly to bullying could cause cuts in funding . White House to hold a harassment conference next year .