Bullying Prevention

What is Bullying?

The goal of bullying is to hurt, harm or humiliate someone. The bully has more power (physical, social, socio-economic) than the student being bullied. The behavior continues even when they realize it is hurting someone.

The definition of Bullying is any written or verbal expression, or physical or electronic act or gesture, including cyber-bullying, that meets all of the following characteristics: 

1. Is intentional, repeated or likely to be repeated, and marked by an imbalance of power, including physical, social, or socio-economic power; and 
2. Is intended to coerce, intimidate, or cause any physical, mental, or emotional harm to any student; and
3. Is sufficiently severe that it has the effect of creating an intimidating, hostile, or significantly offensive environment that disrupts the learning or performance of school-sanctioned activities for any student.

 
Types of Bullying

• Physical—includes hitting, kicking, tripping, pinching or damaging property. 
• Verbal—includes name-calling, insults, teasing, intimidation, homophobic or racist remarks, or verbal abuse.
• Social—designed to harm someone’s social reputation or cause humiliation. Can include lying and spreading rumors, encouraging others to socially exclude someone, mimicking unkindly, or playing nasty to embarrass or humiliate. 
• Cyberbullying—occurs via digital technology, including hardware such as computers and smartphones, and software such as social media, instant messaging, texts, websites, or other platforms. May include abusive or hurtful texts, emails, posts, images or video; gossip or rumors; or login.

Is it Bullying or Something Else?

• Not Bullying but is RUDE: Accidentally or unintentionally saying or doing something that hurts feelings or embarrasses someone.
• Not Bullying but is MEAN: Saying or doing something on purpose to hurt someone; happens once or twice.
• Not Bullying but is CONFLICT: Conflict is a disagreement or argument in which both sides express their views.  There is equal power between those involved and it generally stops when they realize it is hurting someone.
• Not Bullying but may be HARASSMENT or DISCRIMINATION
  Harassment and Discrimination means to engage in any unwelcome physical or verbal conduct or any written, pictorial, or visual communication by a student that is directed at a student or group of students because of a student’s or group’s membership in, or perceived membership in a protected class, which conduct or communication is objectively offensive to a reasonable individual who is a member of the same protected class. Protected Classes include: Disability, Race, Creed, Color, Sex, Sexual Orientation, Gender identity, Gender Expression, Family Composition, Religion, Age, National Origin, or Ancestry. 

Report Harassment and Discrimination here.