WAYNE HIGHLANDS SCHOOL DISTRICT
No. 250
SECTION: PUPILS
TITLE: BULLYING
ADOPTED: July 19, 2005
REVISED: October 21, 2008
250. BULLYING
1. Purpose The Wayne Highlands School District recognizes that bullying of students has a
negative effect on the educational environment of its schools. Students who are
bullied, intimidated or fearful of other students may not be able to take full
advantage of the educational opportunities offered by the school district. Bullying
can also escalate into more serious violence. Therefore, the school district strives to offer all students an educational environment free from bullying.
2. Definition Bullying shall mean intentional electronic, verbal, written or physical conduct directed at a student by another student that is severe, persistent or pervasive and has the intent and effect of:
1. Physically harming a student.
2. Damaging, extorting or taking a student’s personal property.
3. Placing a student in reasonable fear of physical harm.
4. Placing a student in reasonable fear of damage to or loss of personal property.
5. Creating an intimidating or hostile environment that substantially interferes with
a student’s educational opportunities.
6. Substantially disrupting the orderly operation of the school.
The term bullying shall not be interpreted to infringe upon a student’s right to
engage in legally protected speech or conduct.
3. Authority The school district will not tolerate known acts of bullying occurring on school district property, at school-sponsored activities scheduled on or off school grounds, during the time students necessarily spend traveling to and from school or school sponsored activities, or at a designated bus stop.
The school district will also not tolerate known acts of bullying occurring outside of
school settings if those acts have the effect of substantially interfering with a
student’s education, creating a threatening environment or substantially disrupting
the orderly operation of the school.
4. Delegation of Responsibility
Development Of Educational Programs
The Superintendent or designee shall develop administrative procedures and
programs to increase the awareness of the problems of bullying, and train teachers to effectively intervene if bullying is witnessed in their presence or brought to their attention.
Intervention
Teachers who observe acts of bullying shall take reasonable steps to intervene to
stop such conduct, unless intervention would threaten a teacher’s personal safety.
The nature of the intervention will vary depending upon the age of the student (both the victim and aggressor), the severity of the bullying and the student’s involvement
in prior acts of bullying. The purpose of the intervention is to take prompt remedial steps to ensure observed acts of bullying cease and to teach students that bullying is not acceptable behavior.
5. Guidelines Student, Parent/Guardian And Employee Reporting
The school district strongly encourages all students and parents/guardians who
become aware of any act of bullying to immediately report that conduct. Students
may report acts of bullying to their teachers, building principal or other school
employees supervising school-sponsored activities. Parents/Guardians may contact
the building principal to report acts of bullying.
If teachers cannot reasonably remediate acts of bullying through their own
intervention, they should report the bullying to the building principal. Other school
employees who observe acts of bullying shall report that conduct to the building
principal.
Investigation Procedures
Each building principal or designee is authorized to investigate reports of bullying
brought to their attention by students, parents/guardians or school employees. Any investigation of a report may include meetings with students, parents/guardians or employees; a review of student records and other reasonable efforts to better understand the facts surrounding a reported incident.
Pol. 218, 233 Consequences/Discipline
Consequences for students who are found to have bullied others may include
counseling, a parent conference, detention, suspension, expulsion, a loss of school
privileges and/or exclusion from school-sponsored activities.
Depending upon the severity of a particular situation, the building principal may also take appropriate steps to ensure student safety. Such steps may include the
implementation of a safety plan; separating and supervising the students involved;
providing employee support for students as needed; reporting incidents to law
enforcement, if appropriate; and developing a supervision plan with
parents/guardians.
Dissemination And Training
1. This policy shall be included in the student handbook.
2. This policy shall be conspicuously posted on the district’s web site, in every
classroom and in a prominent location within each school building where notices
are usually posted.
3. Discussion of the policy shall be included in the orientation of each new teacher
and periodically in staff development workshops.
Confidentiality
The Wayne Highlands School District recognizes that both the complaining student
and the alleged bully/extorter have strong interest in maintaining the confidentiality of the allegations and related information. The privacy of the complaining student,the individual(s) against whom the complaint is filed, and the witnesses will be respected as much as possible, consistent with legal obligations to investigate, to take appropriate action, and to comply with Family Education Privacy Rights Act (FERPA) and any discovery or disclosure obligations. As limited by FERPA protections, the principal or his/her designee may inform the complaining student/parents/guardians of the outcome of the investigation.
Reprisal
Any student who retaliates against another student for reporting bullying or
extortion, or for assisting or testifying in the investigation or hearing may be subject to disciplinary action.
Interplay With Other School District Policies
Nothing in this policy shall prevent school employees from enforcing, imposing
discipline or fulfilling their professional responsibilities under other school district
policies or student disciplinary rules.
This policy shall not be interpreted as preventing a student or parent/guardians from filing a complaint under the school district’s anti-harassment policy.
References:
School Code – 24 P.S. Sec. 1302-A, 1303.1-A
State Board of Education Regulations – 22 PA Code Sec. 12.3
Board Policy – 218, 233, 236, 248
