Anti Bullying Policy Procedures in school, at school related events, - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

ONTARIO-MONTCLAIR SCHOOL DISTICT Anti Bullying Policy Procedures in school, at school related events, traveling to and from school, and any situation where a relationship can be established. Mr. Steve Garcia Director I of Child Welfare, Attendance & Records

DEFINITION & INDICATORS • Bullying is defined as any se severe ere or or pervas asiv ive physical or verbal act or conduct, including communications made in writing or by means of an electronic act, and including one or more acts committed by a pupil or group of pupils directed toward one or more pupils that has or can be reasonably predicted to have the effect of causing a reasonable pupil to experience a substantially detrimental effect on the pupil’s physical or mental health, academic performance, or ability to participate in school activities.

TYPES OF BULLYING  Verbal  Physical  Relational

VERBAL Name calling, taunting, belittling, Words are powerful tools cruel criticism, personal and can break the spirit of a defamation, racist slurs, and child who is on the sexually suggestive or sexually receiving end. Verbal abuse is the abusive remarks. It can involve most common form of bullying extortion of lunch money or possessions, abusive phone calls, used. It accounts for 70% of intimidating emails, anonymous reported bullying . Younger notes containing threats of violence, children who have not developed untruthful accusations, false and a strong sense of self are most malicious rumors, and gossip. susceptible to it.

PHYSICAL Physical bullying accounts for The older and stronger the bully, the more dangerous this kind of less than one-third of the attack becomes, even if serious bullying incidents reported by harm is not intended. children. It includes slapping, hitting, choking, poking, The child who regularly plays punching, kicking, biting, this role is often the most troubled of all the bullies and pinching, scratching, damaging most likely to move on to more or destroying clothes or serious criminal offenses. property belonging to the bullied child.

RELATIONAL Relational bullying is the systematic Relational bullying is most diminishment of a bullied child’s powerful during the middle years because it is when young teens are sense of self through ignoring, trying to figure out who they are & isolating, excluding, or shunning. trying to fit in with peers. Shunning in conjunction with Intentionally excluding a child from rumors is a powerful bullying tool. sleepovers, birthday parties, and playground games is Relational bullying can involve often overlooked as a form of subtle gestures such as aggressive bullying because it is not as obvious. stares, rolling of eyes, sighs, The bullied child’s pain is usually frowns, sneers, snickers, and hostile hidden or dismissed when expressed. body language.

HOW TO RECOGNIZE BULLYING

Three Elements • Imbalance of Power – The bully has the upper hand through size, strength, verbal skills, social hierarchy, or less to lose by getting into trouble. • Intent to Harm - The bully means to inflict emotional and/or physical pain, expects the action to hurt, and takes pleasure witnessing the hurt. • Threat of Further Aggression - Both the bully and the bullied know that the bullying can and probably will occur again.

From Target to Victim After a child has been targeted by a bully, her actions determine if she becomes a victim. If the child succumbs to the attack by showing distress, fear, or no particular emotion; or fails to respond assertively or aggressively, she becomes someone she was not before the Ever-weakening Target attack.

Why not fight back? Do you think a victim should retaliate physically or verbally? Why or Why not?

The Bully Children aren’t born bullies. Children are taught to bully. Home life, school life, the community and culture (including the media) may permit and encourage such behavior.

Contempt Bullying is not about anger. It is about CONTEMPT. Contempt is a powerful dislike toward somebody considered to be worthless, inferior, or undeserving of respect. Children who bully target children who are different from themselves in some way. These differences are used to justify the attacks , because the bully needs somewhere to heap her aggression.

Com ommo mon n Trai aits ts of of a B a Bul ully ly • Likes to dominate other people. • Likes to use other people to get what they want. • Find it hard to see a situation from the other person’s point of view. • Are concerned only with their own wants and pleasures and not the needs, rights, and feelings of others. • Tend to hurt other kids when parents or other adults are not around. • View weaker siblings or peers as prey. • Use blame, criticism, and false allegations to project their own inadequacies onto their target. • Refuse to accept responsibility for their actions. • Lack foresight or the ability to predict the consequences of their behavior • Crave attention.

ADMINISTRATIVE RESPONSIBILITY • Per EC and BP 5131 & 5131.2 we shall inform student and families of immediate response to reports of bullying • Create an environment where school community understands bullying is inappropriate, not tolerated • Communicate antibullying policy • Develop and incorporate procedures • Provide in-service training to staff

RESPONDING TO BULLYING COMPLAINTS • Process: • Assure complainant of the bullying, they are taken seriously and that the school will not tolerate this behavior. Inform all parties of confidentiality and non-retaliation • Bullying/Harassment Complaint Form: Obtain specific information relevant to any bullying complaint and obtain written statement from complainant • Investigate: Intervene immediately and stop bullying behavior • Assure complainant of bullying that action will be taken to ensure that bullying behavior stops. Provide names of school personnel who can help if situation arises again • Bullying-Harassment Letter of Findings: Determine what action or consequences will resolve situation. Inform target of bullying and family of corrective actions. Phone call or face to face meeting prior to mailing letter • Continue to monitor the target of bullying that the bullying has stopped • Continuum of violence; bullying actions may constitute other categories of violence to be addressed

BULLYING/HARASSMENT COMPLAINT FORM (Students May Report Anonymously) Date Filed: _______________ Name: ____________________________________ Address: _________________________________________ Phone #: ________________ Please identify yourself as a: Student _____ Parent/Guardian _____ Employee _____ Volunteer _____ Other _____ Please check the type of bullying that has occurred (more than one can be checked): Verbal Abuse ฀ Physical ฀ (name-calling, racial remarks, belittling, etc. (hitting, kicking, shoving, twisting limbs, spitting, Can be done over the phone, in writing, or destroying personal belongings) in person, over the phone, text, email) Extortion ฀ Hazing ฀ (verbal or physical bullying for money (Having to participate in an act of physical or emotional or personal items) harm to be part of a group, or are a victim of a group) Indirect Bullying ฀ Cyberbullying ฀ (Rejection, exclusion, ignoring, alienating, or (Using technology to harass, threaten, or target another person – text, IMs, email, Facebook, videos, MySpace, isolating to purposely cause emotional distress) Tweeter, etc.) Dates of alleged bullying or harassment(s): ______________________________________________________________________________ Person(s) alleged to have committed the bullying or harassment: ______________________________________________________________________________ Description of the incident: If possible, use specific dates, times, locations, names, etc. Use the backside of the form or additional sheets if necessary. ______________________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________________ Names of Witnesses: ____________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________________ Have you reported this to anyone else: Yes ___ No ___ If so, who? ______________________ Signature of Reporting Person _____________________________ Date ___________________ Note: Completion of this form will initiate an investigation of the alleged incident of bullying or harassment outlined in this form. All information will be confidential except for that which must be shared as part of the investigation. Submission of a good faith complaint or report of bullying or harassment will not affect the complainant or reporter’s future employment, grades, learning, or working environment or work assignment. By signing above, you are verifying that your statements are true and exact to the best of your knowledge.