•        What is Bullying?

    Bullying is intentional, repeated behavior meant to hurt, humiliate, or intimidate someone. Bullying involves a power imbalance and can be physical, verbal, emotional, or done online.

    Bullying may occur when a student or group of students engages in any form of behavior that includes such acts as intimidation and/or harassment that:

    • has the effect of physically harming a student, damaging a student’s property, or placing a student in reasonable fear of harm or damage to property,
    • is sufficiently severe, persistent or pervasive that the action, behavior, or threat creates an intimidating, threatening, or abusive environment in the form of physical or emotional harm,
    • occurs when there is a real or perceived imbalance of power or strength, or
    • may constitute a violation of law. 

    Bullying of a student or group of students can be manifested through written, verbal, physical, or emotional means and may occur in a variety of forms including, but not limited to:

    • verbal, written/printed or graphic exposure to derogatory comments, extortion, exploitation, name-calling, or rumor spreading either directly through another person or group or through cyberbullying;
    • exposure to social exclusion or ostracism,
    • physical contact, including, but not limited to, pushing, hitting, kicking, shoving, or spitting,
    • damage to or theft of personal property. 

    Cyberbullying: 

    Cyberbullying is, but not limited to, any act of bullying committed by the use of electronic technology or electronic communication devices, including telephonic devices, social networking and other internet communications, on school computers, networks, forums and mailing lists, or other District-owned property, and by means of an individual’s personal electronic media and equipment.