BULLYING AND HARRASSMENT
Bullying is unwanted, aggressive behavior among school aged children that involves a real or perceived power imbalance. The behavior is repeated, or has the potential to be repeated, over time. Both kids who are bullied and who bully others may have serious, lasting problems. In order to be considered bullying, the behavior must be aggressive and include:
An Imbalance of Power: Kids who bully use their power - such as physical strength, access to embarrassing information, or popularity - to control or harm others. Power imbalances can change over time and in different situations, even if they involve the same people.
Repetition: Bullying behaviors happen more than once or have the potential to happen more than once. Bullying includes actions such as making threats, spreading rumors, attacking someone physically or verbally, and excluding someone from a group on purpose.
TYPES OF BULLYING
Bullying can take many forms:
Verbal bullying including derogatory comments and bad names
Bullying through social exclusion or isolation
Physical bullying such as hitting, kicking, shoving, and spitting
Bullying through lies and false rumors
Having money or other things taken or damaged by students who bully
Being threatened or being forced to do things by students who bully
Racial bullying
Sexual bullying and sexual orientation
Cyberbullying (via cell phone or Internet)
BULLYING GUIDANCE:
GENERAL WEBSITES REGARDING BULLYING:
Creating A Safe And Welcoming School: A Parent's Role
20 Questions Parents Ask Principals
CYBERBULLYING AND SOCIAL MEDIA
REPORTING BULLYING AND HARRASSMENT
Building Investigators:
Level I- The building principals are the district's Level I investigators. All presumed incidents of bullying and harassment need to be reported directly to the building level principal. They will investigate each incident. They will discipline accordingly or move the investigation to a Level II.
Level II- The district's Level II investigator is law enforcement. The district's SRO or county law enforcement will be notified and the investigation will be turned over to them.