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Bullying, Intimidation & Harassment

Bullying, intimidation, and harassment diminish a student's ability to learn and a school's ability to educate. Preventing students from engaging in these disruptive behaviors is an important District goal. Bullying is contrary to state law and to District Policy 7:180.

Bullying on the basis of actual or perceived race, color, nationality, sex, sexual orientation, gender or gender-related identity or expression, ancestry, age, religion, physical or mental disability, order of protection status, status of being homeless, or actual or potential marital or parental status, including pregnancy, association with a person or group with one or more of the aforementioned actual or perceived characteristics, or any other distinguishing characteristic is prohibited in each of the following situations:

  1. During any school-sponsored education program or activity.
  2. While in school, on school property, on school buses or other school vehicles, at designated school bus stops waiting for the school bus, or at school-sponsored or school-sanctioned events or activities.
  3. Through the transmission of information from a school computer, a school computer network, or other similar electronic school equipment.

For purposes of this policy, the term bullying includes cyber-bullying, and means any severe or pervasive physical or verbal act or conduct, including written and electronic communications, directed toward a student that has or can be reasonably predicted to have the effect of one or more of the following:

  1. Placing the student in reasonable fear of harm to the student's person or property.
  2. Causing a substantially detrimental effect on the student's physical or mental health.
  3. Substantially interfering with the student's academic performance.
  4. Substantially interfering with the student's ability to participate in or benefit from the services, activities, or privileges provided by a school.

Bullying, intimidation, and/or harassment may take various forms, including without limitation one or more of the following: threats, stalking, physical violence, sexual harassment, sexual violence, theft, public humiliation, destruction of property, or retaliation for asserting or alleging an act of bullying. This list is meant to be illustrative and non-exhaustive. For purposes of this handbook, the term bullying includes harassment, hazing, intimidation, retaliation, and school violence.

Not every confrontation between or among students will be considered bullying for purposes of this policy. Incidents will be considered on a case-by-case basis.

Students are encouraged to immediately report bullying. A report may be made orally or in writing to the District Complaint Manager or any staff member with whom the student is comfortable speaking (i.e.: teacher, social worker, assistant principal, or principal). Anyone who has information about actual or threatened bullying is encouraged to report it to the District Complaint Manager or any staff member. The District will not discipline a student because he or she made a complaint or report, supplied information, or otherwise participated in an investigation or proceeding, provided the individual did not make a knowingly false accusation or provide knowingly false information.

Cyber-Bullying

Cyber-bullying is the use of information and communication technologies to support deliberate, repeated, and hostile behavior intended to harm others. Cyber-bullying can be as simple as continuing to send email to someone who has said they want no further contact with the sender, but it may also include threats, sexual remarks, and pejorative labels (i.e., hate speech).

Electronic Communications

Electronic communications are  communications through any electronic device, including, but not limited to, computers, telephones, mobile phones, and any type of communication, including, but not limited to, emails, instant messages, text messages, picture messages, and websites.

In certain circumstances, the District has jurisdiction to prohibit bullying via electronic communications that originate off of District grounds, provided there is a sufficient connection between the electronic communication and the District.

Hazing

Hazing is any intentional, knowing, or reckless act directed against a student for the purpose of initiating into, affiliating with, holding office in, or maintaining membership in any organization, club, or athletic team whose members are or include other students.