Policy #

5101/4123

Policy Title

BULLYING, HARASSMENT or INTIMIDATION

Last Reviewed

October 20, 2009

Policy

It is the policy of the District to maintain a learning environment that is free from all harassment and intimidation, including bullying.  It shall be a violation of this policy for any school community member to harass or bully another school community member through conduct or communications. School community members include students, District employees and agents, volunteers, parents, guardians, and general community members impacting the learning environment.

Bullying Definition:
Bullying is the deliberate and repeated act of inflicting physical or psychological harm to another person or persons over time.

There are four types of bullying:

1. Relational: This includes ostracizing another person, psychological manipulation, and systematic actions to isolate, shun or exclude.
2. Verbal: This includes name-calling, put downs, and the spreading of rumors.
3. Physical: This includes aggressive acts such as hitting, slapping, choking, kicking, spitting or pushing, and may also include the destruction of property or writing of offensive notes or graffiti.
4. Cyber: This may be alone or in combination with actions associated with one or more types of bullying, utilizing e-mail, instant messaging, social networks, text messages, or other means of electronic communication.

Ramifications:
Full implementation of this policy includes conduct of a prompt and thorough investigation of all alleged incidents of bullying, providing each violator of the policy with appropriate consequences and remedial action, and protecting individuals from retaliation for reporting such conduct.

All allegations or observations of bullying among students will trigger implementation of the Bullying Response System (BRS). The BRS is a formal procedure for the documentation of an alleged infraction, notification of the involved students and parents or guardians and resolution of the situation through actions deemed appropriate by District Administration.

Employees and agents of the District are prohibited from engaging in bullying, harassment, or intimidation.  Any employee or agent of the District targeted by another school community member shall provide a detailed report to the appropriate building Administrator or to the Superintendent immediately. Allegations and substantiated charges of bullying, harassment or intimidation among employees and agents of the District will result in appropriate action as determined by the Administration or School Board, consistent with Board Policy and involving local law enforcement if violence or threat of violence is evident.

Prevention:
Preventing students from engaging in bullying is an important District goal. In addition to fully implementing and enforcing this and all other District policies utilizing appropriate measures and defined procedures, the Superintendent or designee shall develop and maintain a program that educates students, parents, teachers, and other school community members about conditions that foster bullying and how they may help prevent or stop bullying, including setting expectations that preventing and stopping bullying is a duty shared by all.

Legal Ref:    405 ILS 49/1 et seq.
105 ILCS 5/10-20.14, 5/24-24, and 5/27-23.7.
23 Ill.Admin.Code §1.280



Policy adopted:    October 20, 2009         BOARD OF EDUCATION, Dist. 101
                                                            Western Springs, IL