HIB: Harassment, Intimidation, & Bullying

1. HIB: Harassment, Intimidation, & Bullying Sussex County Technical School Ada Guarcello: Anti-Bullying Specialist Debbie Keiper: Anti-Bullying Coordinator

2. What is bullying? Bullying is aggressive behavior that is intentional and that involves an imbalance of power. Most often, it is repeated over time.

3. What is bullying? • Includes but not limited to: • Punching, shoving, and other acts that might cause physical harm • Spreading rumors (including email, text messaging and Face Book, My Space, Tumblr, Formspring) • Excluding people from a “group” or isolating someone in a classroom or gym class • Teasing in a mean way, name calling, or making gestures and or sounds to belittle a student • Getting other people to “gang” up on another student • Damaging or writing obscene or inappropriate comments on lockers, notebooks etc.

4. Who is involved?

5. Bully • Intends to harm • Not remorseful • Behavior is repeated over time • Lack empathy and compassion • Sometimes, popular students wielding their power • Sometimes, those who have been bullied by others • Cyber bullying is often done by students who are otherwise considered ―good kids

6. Bullynegative impacts • Children who display bullying behavior are far more likely as adults to: • Have a criminal record • Engage in drug use • Commit hate crimes • Use weapons • Commit domestic abuse • Bullying behavior is also linked with sexual harassment and physical aggression.

7. Victim • Students whose first language is not English • Students with learning disabilities • Students from economically disadvantaged homes • Racial and ethnic minorities • Students perceived to be gay • Students who are obese

8. EFFECTS OF BEING BULLIED • Lower self‐esteem • Depression & anxiety • Absenteeism & lowered school achievement • Thoughts of suicide • Suicide • Illness • Poor peer relationships

9. Bystander "Take sides. Neutrality helps the oppressor, never the victim. Silence encourages the tormentor, never the tormented.” --Elie Wiesel

10. bystander • Do not repeat gossip • Do not reinforce the bully • Support the victim! • Support the victim privately • Support the victim in front of the bully • Inform those who are responsible • Spend time with victims • Invite victims to get involved with group activities • Encourage victim efforts and accomplishments • Be a good listener • Talk to the bully privately • Do not support the bully • Ask the bully to stop

11. How serious is the problem? • A 2009 and 2010 study by the US Departments of Justice and Education reported: • 32% of students aged 12 to 18 had been bullied in the previous year. • 25% of the responding public schools indicated that bullying was a daily or weekly problem • More 8 to 15 year olds worry about teasing and bullying than about drugs, alcohol, AIDS, and pressure to have sex. (Kaiser Family Foundation) • Top years for bullying are from 4th to 8th grade • Each month, around 282,000 students are being victimized by bullying in the US

12. How serious is the problem here? • School climate survey administered to all students 2011-2012 & 2012-2013 • Overallresults in 2012-2013

13. The Good News… • A systematic review of 44 school-based bullying prevention programs indicates, that, on average, anti-bullying programs reduce bullying perpetration by 20 – 23%, and victimization by 17 – 20% (Farrington & Ttofi, 2010). Source: Rutgers SDFSC Project - Harassment, Intimidation, and Bullying Prevention and Intervention Strategies

14. School Climate – Works from the • TOP • A positive school climate helps to foster healthy relationships, thereby reducing conflict and bullying • Adult to Adult • Student to Adult • Student to Student • Adults need to be role models!!! • Model mutual respect, professionalism, and collaboration DOWN

15. WIN/WIN: School Wide Approach to Conflict Resolution • Rules: • Treat others with respect • No put-downs or blaming • Listen with an open mind • No interrupting, negative faces, or body language • Attack the PROBLEM, not the PERSON • Work together toward a fair solution • Tell the truth

16. How to improve school climate? • Preparation and Planning: Creating the foundation – Curriculum • Identification of data sources and analysis of data – Surveys • Evaluation of activities – End of year • Re-evaluation and beginning of new cycle – Adjusting curriculum

17. Anti-bullying bill of rights • HIB: New Jersey Harassment, Intimidation, & Bullying Law passed by the legislature for the 2011 – 2012 school year. The law continues to apply for the 2012 – 2013 school year. • Definition: The law defines harassment, intimidation or bullying as “any gesture, any written, verbal or physical act or any electronic communication, whether it be a single incident or series of incidents, that is reasonably perceived as being motivated either by any actual or perceived characteristic…. that takes place on school property, at any school –sponsored function, on a school bus, or off school grounds… that substantially disrupts or interferes with the orderly operation of the school or the rights of other students, and that a reasonable person should know, under the circumstances, will have the effect of physically or emotionally harming a student or damaging a student’s property, or placing a student in reasonable fear of physical or emotional harm to his person or damage his property.”

18. Anti-bullying bill of rights:key points • This law significantly strengthened the existing laws • The law calls for the school to appoint an anti-bullying specialist: Ada Guarcello • The law calls for the school to appoint an anti-bullying coordinator: Debra Keiper • The law states that there must be training for these positions and there are very strict timelines to follow; staff must also receive training • The law also covers bullying that takes place on school property, at any school sponsored function, on a school bus, or off school grounds and includes cyber bullying on any social network • Parents of Tech students and the students will have to sign an anti-bullying agreement similar to the social agreement at the beginning of the school year

19. Sussex county technical school HIB policy • Course of Action: • Requires all school employees, volunteers and contracted service providers who have contact with students report alleged HIB incidents to the Principal or Anti-Bullying Coordinator/Specialist • ABS informs principal on SAME DAY; parents of all parties involved are notified • A report shall be provided in writing to the principal within 2 school days • Formal investigation conducted by Anti-Bullying Specialist and administrator shall begin within one school day; allowed 10 school days to complete • Results of investigation shall be reported to the superintendent within 2 school days of the completion of the investigation; shall be reported to the board • Parents of pupils who are parties to the investigation shall be provided with information regarding investigation within 5 school days of being reported to the Board • Nature of investigation, whether the district found evidence of harassment, intimidation, or bullying, or whether consequences were imposed or services provided to address the incident of harassment, intimidation, or bullying • Parent may request hearing before the Board of Education after receiving information

20. Sussex county technical school HIB policy: Important to know… • Incident must meet very specific criteria to be substantiated as HIB • Any (MUST include ALL factors): • Gesture, act, or electronic communication • Single incident or series of incidents • Motivated by a distinguishing characteristic (real or perceived) • On or Off school grounds • Substantially disrupts or interferes with the operations of the school and/or the rights of a student or group of students. • ANDthat (any ONE of these): • Reasonable person would know would cause physical or emotional harm or damage to property (or would cause fear of such) OR • Insults or demeans a person or group of people OR • Creates a hostile environment by interfering with education OR severely or pervasively causing harm.

21. Sussex county technical school HIB policy: Important to know… • Parents: • Once words “harassment”, “intimidation”, or “bullying” are used, investigation must be initiated • Report must be investigated REGARDLESS; even if report clearly indicates conflict or other non-bullying situation • Expect a phone call if you are a parent/guardian of the “victim” or “bully” • Understand that phone call does NOT mean that the school is accusing your child of being a bully • ABS/ABC/Administration must follow protocol for EVERY report

22. Sussex county technical school HIB policy: Important to know… • Parents: • Do not be discouraged if your HIB report does not meet HIB criteria! • DOE’s definition differs from widely accepted definition • Incident will be addressed, regardless • Violation of code of conduct • Remedial or disciplinary action given

23. Sussex county technical school HIB policy • Possible Consequences/Disciplinary Actions • ABE Program • Deprivation of privileges • Classroom or administrative detention • Referral to disciplinarian • In school /Out-of school suspension • Police intervention

24. Sussex county technical school HIB policy • Remedial Measures • Behavioral assessment or evaluation/referral to Child Study Team • Assignment of leadership responsibilities Pupil counseling/treatment/therapy • Parent conferences • Alternative placement • Essay writing

25. What we are doing 10/07/13 – 10/11/13: Week of Respect ● Anti-bullying lessons infused in all academic classes ● Anti-bullying slogans/posters ● Green Dot Persuasive Speech ● Green Dot Banner School Safety Team ● Anti-Bullying Specialist, Anti-Bullying Coordinator, administrators, security, maintenance, teachers, parent ● Work together to develop and maintain a positive school climate ● Review and strengthen policies in order to prevent and intervene with HIB of students

26. What You Can Do • LISTEN! • Don’t minimize • Acknowledge their feelings & concerns • Show appreciation • Say you’re sorry it happened • Refer when needed • Genuinely care • LISTEN! • Acknowledge their feelings & concerns • Don’t judge or blame • Don’t be adversarial • Share positives about their child • Have facts & clear policies Parents of Victimized Students Parents of Bullying Students

28. references • Horne, A.M., Orphinas, P. (2009). Family and school interventions for persistent bullies. University of Georgia. • Springer, J. (2011). Bullying prevention. Ceceilyn Miller Institute for Diversity and Leadership. • Riese, J. (2011). Bullying prevention: Top ten most effective school-based strategies. The Olweus Bullying Prevention Program. • Harassment, intimidation, and bullying prevention and intervention strategies for administrators. New Jersey Department of Education. Retrieved from http://www.state.nj.us/education/parents/bully.htm

29. Helpful resources • New Jersey Coalition for Bullying Awareness and Prevention: http://www.njbullying.org • Cyber bullying Research Center: http://www.cyberbullying.us/ • Stop Bullying.Gov: http://www.bullyinginfo.org • U.S. Department of Justice, Computer Crime & Intellectual Property Section: http://www.crybercrime.gov • Parents, Families and Friends of Lesbian and Gays: http://community.pflag.org/Page.aspx?pid=194&scrid=-2 • New Jersey State police: http://njsp.org/ • Fight crime: Invest in Kids: http://www.fightcrime.org/ • New Jersey Department of education, Keeping our Kids Safe, Healthy and in School: http://www.state.nj.us/education/students/safety/http://www.state.nj.us/education/students/safety/behavior/hib/ • Garden State Equality: http://www.gardenstateequality.org/