Bullying, including cyber-bullying, is defined as any severe or pervasive physical or verbal act or conduct, including communications made in writing or electronically, directed toward another person that has or can be reasonably predicted to:
- Place a person in reasonable fear of harm to their person or property
- Cause a substantially detrimental effect on a person’s physical or mental health
- Substantially interfere with a student’s academic performance; and/or
- Substantially interfere with a student’s ability to participate in or benefit from the services, activities or privileges provided by a school.
In other words, bullying consists of intentionally aggressive behavior, repeated over time that involves an imbalance of power. Cyber bullying inflicted through the use of computers, cell phones, and other electronic devices. No person, including a District employee or agent, or student, shall harass, intimidate or bully a student based upon the basis of actual or perceived race, color, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, gender-related identity or expressions, ancestry, religion, age, physical or mental disability, order of protection status, status of being homeless, or actual potential marital or parental status, including pregnancy, physical appearance, socioeconomic status, academic status, and any other protected characteristic, or association with a person or group with one or more of the aforementioned actual or perceived characteristics.
The District will not tolerate harassing, intimidating conduct, bullying, or cyber bullying whether verbal, physical, or visual, that affects the tangible benefits of education, that unreasonably interferes with a student’s educational performance, or that creates an intimidating, hostile or offensive educational environment. Examples of prohibited conduct include name-calling, using derogatory slurs, stalking, causing psychological harm, threatening or causing physical harm, threatened or actual destruction of property, or wearing or possessing items depicting or implying hatred or prejudice of one of the characteristics stated above. See Board Policy 7.180.
The District will not tolerate harassing, intimidating conduct, bullying or cyber-bullying whether verbal, physical, or visual, of a staff member by a student or parent/guardian when the harassing, intimidating or bullying conduct interferes with, disrupts, or adversely affects the school environment, school operations, school property or an educational function, or is reasonably forecasted to cause such interference, disruption, or adverse impact. The prohibited harassment, intimidation, bullying, or cyber-bullying may include, but is not limited to, conduct that may reasonably be considered: a) a threat or attempted intimidation of a staff member; or b) endanger the health or safety of student or staff. A staff member who believes he or she is a victim of harassment, intimidation, or bullying, is encouraged to discuss the matter with his or building principal or assistant principal. The staff member may also report a concern to the District 129 Nondiscrimination Coordinator: Dr. Valerie McCall, Director of Educational Equity, 630-301-5108 or valerie.mccall@sd129.org
