Bullying
What is Bullying?
Bullying is an ongoing misuse of power in relationships through repeated verbal, physical and/or social behavior that causes physical and/or psychological harm. It can involve an individual or a group misusing their power over one or more persons. Bullying can happen in person or online, and it can be obvious or hidden. Bullying of any form or for any reason can have long-term effects on those involved, including bystanders. Single incidents and conflict or fights between equals whether in person or online, are not defined as bullying.
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- Verbal or written abuse - such as targeted name calling or jokes, or displaying offensive posters.
- Violence - including threats of violence.
- Sexual Harassment - unwelcome or unreciprocated conduct of a sexual nature, which could reasonably be expected to cause offence, humiliation or intimidation.
- Homophobia - and other hostile behavior towards students relating to gender and sexuality.
- Discrimination including racial discrimintion - treating people differently because of their identity.
- Cyberbullying - either online or via mobile device.
What is not considered Bullying?
- Mutual conflict which involves a disagreement, but not an imbalance of power. Unresolved mutual conflict can develop into bullying if one of the parties targets the other repeatedly in retaliation.
- Single-episode acts of nastiness or physical aggression, or aggression directed towards many different people.
- Social rejection or dislike is not bullying unless it involves deliberate and repeated attempts to cause distress, exclude, or create dislike by others.
Bullying occurs when a student or group of students engages in written or verbal expression, expression through electronic methods, or physical conduct against another student on school property, at a school-sponsored or -related activity, or in a district operated vehicle, and the behavior:
- Results in harm to the student or the student’s property,
- Places a student in reasonable fear of physical harm or of damage to the student’s property, or
- Is so severe, persistent, and pervasive that it creates an intimidating, threatening, or abusive educational environment.
This conduct is considered bullying if it exploits an imbalance of power between the student perpetrator(s) and the student victim and if it interferes with a student’s education or substantially disrupts the operation of the school.
Bullying is prohibited by the district and could include hazing, threats, taunting, teasing, confinement, assault, demands for money, destruction of property, theft of valued possessions, name-calling, rumor-spreading, or ostracism. In some cases, bullying can occur through electronic methods, called “cyberbullying.”
If a student believes that he or she has experienced bullying or has witnessed bullying of another student, it is important for the student or parent to notify a teacher, school counselor, principal, or another district employee as soon as possible to obtain assistance and intervention. The administration will investigate any allegations of bullying or other related misconduct.
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It’s not always easy to tell if a young person is being bullied, as sometimes they don’t want to disclose what’s happening to them. If you notice a significant change in behavior, this could be a cause for concern. Other signs can include:
- Changes to mood or eating and sleeping patterns
- Withdrawal from family, social groups or friends
- Decline in school performance or unwillingness to attend
- Lost, torn or broken belongings
- Scratches or bruises, or implausible excuses for any of the above
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- Listen to your child’s story
- Have a conversation about what happened
- Make a record of events
- Work with your child’s school to find a solution
- Find other ways to support your child
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- Stay calm. Remember, the behavior is at fault rather than the child.
- Make sure your child knows bullying behavior is inappropriate and why.
- Try to understand the reasons why your child has behaved in this way and look for ways to address problems.
- Encourage your child to look at it from the other’s perspective, for example, “how would you feel if…”
- Help your child think of alternative paths of action.
- Provide appropriate boundaries for their behavior.