a brief overview bullying. house bill no.7, or the school bullying prevention act, was created to...
TRANSCRIPT
A BRIEF OVERVIEW
Bullying
Bullying
House Bill NO.7, or the School Bullying Prevention Act, was created to provide a safer learning environment for students attending public schools, including charter schools in the state of Delaware and for the staff members of those institutions.
The General Assembly recognizes that safe learning environments are necessary for students to learn and to achieve high academic standards
It is the intent of the General Assembly to provide safe learning environments for all students and for all public education employees.
Bullying
As stated in DE House Bill No.7, bullying means any intentional written, electronic, verbal or physical act or actions against another person that a reasonable student, school volunteer, or school employee under the circumstances should know will have the effect of:
Bullying
Placing a person in reasonable fear of substantial harm to his or her emotional or physical well being or substantial damage to his or her property
Creating a hostile, threatening, humiliating or abusive educational environment due too the pervasiveness or persistence of actions or due to a power differential between the bully and the target; or
Interfering with the student having a safe school environment that is necessary to facilitate educational performance, opportunities or benefits; or
Perpetuating bullying by inciting, soliciting, or coercing an individual or group to demean, dehumanize, embarrass or cause emotional psychological or physical harm to another person
Bullying
In common terms bullying is: Intentional unwanted aggressive behavior among
school aged children
Involves a real or perceived power imbalance
The behavior is repeated or has the potential to be repeated over time
Bullying
Includes actions such as: Making threats
Spreading rumors or writing nasty things about others
Attacking a person physically or verbally
Purposely excluding a person from a group and persuading peers to do the same
Taking or damaging another student’s possessions
Sending offensive messages to others via computer or cell phone
Cyber Bullying
Includes actions such as: Sending someone threatening emails, texts messages,
or instant messages Tricking someone into revealing personal or
embarrassing information and sending it to others Breaking into someone’s email or phone account to
send cruel or untrue messages while posing as that person
Creating web sites to make fun of another person Using websites to rate others as prettiest, ugliest, etc
Why cyber bullying is different?
Cyber bullying can happen 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, and reach a kid even when he or she is alone. It can happen any time of the day or night.
Cyber bullying messages and images can be posted anonymously and distributed quickly to a very wide audience. It can be difficult and sometimes impossible to trace the source.
Deleting inappropriate or harassing messages, texts, and pictures is extremely difficult after they have been posted or sent.
Bullying
Bullying is not: a single incidence of
teasing two children having a
fight or an argument
Bullying can: Occur face to face Occur behind one’s
back Come from both boys
and girls
NOT CONSIDERED BULLYING
REQUIRE DIFFERENT PREVENTION AND RESPONSE STRATEGIES
Other Types Of Aggression
Other types of aggression
Peer Conflict It is not bullying when two students with
no perceived power imbalance fight, have an argument, or disagree Conflict resolution or peer mediation may be
appropriate for these situations
Other types of aggression
Teen Dating Violence Partner violence that occurs between two
young people who are or were in a relationship
Other types of aggression
Hazing Use of embarrassing and often dangerous
or illegal activities used by a group to initiate new members
Other types of aggression
Harassment Under federal civil rights laws,
harassment is unwelcome conduct based on a protected class (race, national origin, color, sex, age, disability, religion) that is severe, pervasive, or persistent and creates a hostile environment
Other types of aggression
Stalking Repeated harassing or threatening
behavior such as following a person, damaging a person’s property, or making harassing phone calls.
Other types of aggression
Early Childhood Young children may be aggressive and act
out when they are angry or don’t get what they want, but this is not bullying.
WARNING SIGNS
Bullying
Signs a person is being bullied:
Unexplainable injuriesLost or destroyed clothing, books, electronics, or jewelryFrequent headaches or stomach aches, feeling sick or faking
illnessChanges in eating habits, like suddenly skipping meals or
binge eating. Kids may come home from school hungry because they did not eat lunch.
Difficulty sleeping or frequent nightmaresDeclining grades, loss of interest in schoolwork, or not wanting
to go to schoolSudden loss of friends or avoidance of social situationsFeelings of helplessness or decreased self esteemSelf-destructive behaviors such as running away from home,
harming themselves, or talking about suicide
Signs a person is bullying others:
Get into physical or verbal fightsHave friends who bully othersAre increasingly aggressiveLacks empathy and doesn’t sympathize with
othersHave unexplained extra money or new belongingsBlame others for their problemsDoesn’t accept responsibility for actionsAre competitive and worry about their reputation
or popularity
Why kids don’t ask for help:
Bullying can make a child feel helpless. They may fear being seen as weak or a tattletale.
Kids may fear backlash from the kid who bullied them.
Bullying can be a humiliating experience. They may also fear that adults will judge them or punish them for being weak.
Kids who are bullied may already feel socially isolated.
Kids may fear being rejected by their peers. Friends can help protect kids from bullying, and kids can fear losing this support.
DISTRICT POLICIES
Bullying
Bullying
Before deciding how to respond to an incident, review the district’s policies and procedures located on page 42 in the Student Code of Conduct Handbook.
Bullying is considered a Level III Offense for k-12 students.
Bullying
Grades K – 5 Level III Offenses First Offense- Required
Detention and or suspension (1-3 days) Parent/guardian notification Parent guardian conference Police notification, when necessary DOE Student Conduct Report will be filed as required by
law
Optional Behavior support plan
Bullying
Grades K – 5 Level III Offenses Subsequent Offenses -Required
Detention and or suspension (2-5 days) Parent/guardian notification Parent guardian conference Behavior Support Plan Police notification, when necessary Recommendation to counseling or appropriate social
service agency DOE Student Conduct Report will be filed as required by
law
Bullying
Grades 6 – 12 Level III Offenses First Offense- Required
Detention and or suspension (1-3 days) Parent/guardian notification Parent guardian conference Police notification, when necessary DOE Student Conduct Report will be filed as required by
law
Optional Behavior plan/contract
Bullying
Grades 6 – 12 Level III Offenses Subsequent Offenses -Required
Detention and or suspension (2-5 days) Parent/guardian notification Parent guardian conference Behavior plan/contract Police notification, when necessary Recommendation to counseling or appropriate social
service agency DOE Student Conduct Report will be filed as required by
law
Contact Information for Meredith Middle School
There are several ways to contact someone about a possible bullying incident.1. Call one of the Interventionists at EMMS-Mr. Phillips
or Mrs. Johnson.2. Anonymously report bullying through our website at
www.meredithmiddle.org Look for the section titled “Bullying Free Information” or “S.O.S.-Save our Schools.”
Resources
www.ncpc.org/topics/cyberbullying/what-is-cyberbullying
www.stopbullying.govwww.aacap.orgwww.kidshealth.orgwww.kidpower.orgwww.pacer.org/bullyingwww.doe.k12.de.us/.../Bully%20Prevention