Hazing, Harassment and Bullying – Board of Education Policy 5517.01

Hazing, harassment, intimidation or bullying toward a student, whether by other students, staff or third parties is strictly prohibited and will not be tolerated. This prohibition includes aggressive behavior, physical, verbal, and psychological abuse. Hazing means doing any act or coercing another, including the victim, to do any act of intimidation or harassment to any student or other organization that causes or creates a substantial risk of causing mental or physical harm to any person.

Harassment, intimidation or bullying is any intentional written, verbal, graphic or physical act that a student has exhibited toward another particular student or students more than once and the behavior causes mental or physical harm to the other student(s) and is sufficiently severe, persistent or pervasive that it creates an intimidating, threatening or abusive educational environment for the other student(s). It would include, but not be limited to, such behaviors as stalking, bullying/cyber bullying, intimidating, menacing, coercion, name-calling, taunting, making threats, hazing, and dating violence. Permission, consent or assumption of risk by an individual subjected to hazing and/or bullying does not lessen the prohibition contained in this policy.

Prohibited activities of any type including those activities engaged in via computer and/or electronic communications devices are inconsistent with the educational process and are prohibited at all times. No administrator, teacher or other employee of the District shall encourage, permit, condone or tolerate any hazing and/or bullying activities. No student, including leaders of student organizations, may plan, encourage or engage in any hazing and/or bullying.

Administrators, teachers and all other District employees are particularly alert to possible conditions, circumstances or events that might include hazing and/or bullying.

If hazing and/or bullying or planned hazing and/or bullying is discovered, involved students are informed by the discovering District employee of the prohibition contained in this policy and are required to end all hazing and/or bully activities immediately. All hazing and/or bullying incidents are reported immediately to the building administrator. An investigation will result and shall include documentation of the event, response and strategy for protecting the victim. 

DON’T STAND BY – SPEAK UP! 

If you see someone being bullied…SPEAK UP! Most bullies will stop if a third party speaks up…Follow these tips: 

1) Don’t join in or encourage the bully. 

2) Try to calm the situation. 

3) Support the person being bullied. 

4) Tell the nearest teacher or adult what you have witnessed.

WAYS TO STOP A BULLY

1. Avoid the bully. Avoid places you know he/she will be. 

2. Ignore the bully. Walk away; bullies want a reaction. Don’t give them one. 

3. Be confident, not aggressive. Use a firm voice to tell the bully to stop. 

4. Practice – prepare for an encounter with parent/friend to best handle a confrontation. 

5. Hang with friends who will stand up for you. Participate in school/community activities to make more friends. 

6. Stand up for your friends if they are bullied. 

7. Believe in yourself! Good self-esteem helps you cope with social issues…like a bully! 

8. Distract the bully by changing the subject; outwit them! 

9. Remain calm. Self –control gives you power. 

10. Avoid places where no teachers, staff, or any adults are present. 

11. Leave expensive items at home. 

12. Don’t be afraid to yell; the bully won’t expect that. 

13. Tell a friend or trusted adult! 

14. Block them from e-mails, phone numbers, and social networks. 

15. If the bully makes serious threats on-line or in a text, DO NOT ERASE IT. 

File a police report with serious and/or continuous threats.

The following are the building bullying reports for the second semester of the 2023-2024 school year.