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