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Because You Can’t Scare Kids Straight Today. Maple Shade High School. “Straight Talk” Steered Straight Organization Michael DeLeon. Bullying. N.J. legislation toughens anti-bullying laws January 6, 2011 “Anti-Bullying Bill of Rights,”. Bullying or Normal Conflict?.
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Maple Shade High School • “Straight Talk” • Steered Straight Organization • Michael DeLeon
Bullying N.J. legislation toughens anti-bullying laws January 6, 2011 “Anti-Bullying Bill of Rights,”
Bullying or Normal Conflict? Bullying often leads to more serious violence Bullying is in many ways like gang violence Some students are bullied mentally, verbally, or physically. Most students experience NORMAL CONFLICT There IS A Difference
Bullying – New Jersey’s #1 School Issue • Anti-Bullying Bill of Rights
WEEK OF RESPECT Why Do We Need This Law?
Bullying Facts Over 100,000 students in America miss school because of repeated bullying - U.S. Centers for Disease Control & Prevention 71% of students report incidents of bullying as a problem at their school. The intensity of bullying has increased because more students join in. More students join in because we are desensitizing them and bullying is a label that covers everything
Students Bill of Rights Requires school districts to adopt anti-bullying policies, which must: • Define and prohibit harassment, intimidation, and bullying, no less inclusively than the definition provided in the law; • Specify consequences and remedial action for persons violating the policy; • Provide procedures for reporting incidents, including a provision for anonymous reporting; • Provide procedures for prompt investigation of reports and complaints, identifying the principal or designee as responsible for investigation;
Students Bill of Rights • Prohibit reprisal or retaliation against any person who reports a violation; • Provide consequences/remedial action for persons who falsely accuse in retaliation or to harass, intimidate, or bully; • Provisions for publicizing the policy • Each school and each district will receive a Bully Grade from the NJDOE reflecting its efforts to implement anti-bullying programming. • The law is NOT prescriptive on what should be included in a student’s permanent records regarding investigations but districts are required to keep all investigative records, so this will impact what will land in student files.
What is Bullying? • Gestures or written, verbal, electronic or physical acts that a reasonable person should know will cause physical and/or emotional harm or fear of harm to one or more targets or their property or insults or demeans any student or group of students – usually unprovoked, and involving an imbalance of physical, psychological, and/or social power occurring usually, but not necessarily, repeatedly and over time.
Bill of Rights - Highlights 18 Pages of required components Introduced more staff training Introduced strict deadlines for reporting episodes Each school must have an anti-bullying specialist Each school must have a Safety Team Each district must have an anti-bullying coordinator Investigation of episode must begin within 1 day There are NO additional resources to meet its mandates Educators who fail to comply could lose their licenses Bullying Law Puts NJ Schools on Spot N.Y. Times 8/30/11
Reporting & Investigating Principal must inform parents of all involved students Investigation must be initiated within one school day, led by school anti-bullying specialist, and completed within 10 school days Results of investigation must be reported to superintendent within 2 school days of completion of investigation, who may take or recommend actions, and to the board of education no later than its next meeting. Within 5 days of the report to the board, parents must be notified of the report and have a right to request a hearing, among other rights.
What is Bullying? Harassing Phone Calls and Texts Violence – one on one, group on one Hurtful Name Calling, Hurtful Behavior Taking/damaging someone’s property Purposely Isolating Someone Tormenting someone, or a group or people Intimidation or threatening someone False Rumors on Facebook Flaming, Cyber stalking, Denigration
About actual or perceived characteristic • Race, color, religion, ancestry, national origin • Gender, sexual orientation • Gender identification and expression • Mental, physical or sensory handicap • Any other distinguishing characteristic Bullying someone because they are Different or to have Power and Control over another person is WRONG!
So What Is It REALLY? • Aggravated Assault • Bias Intimidation • Criminal Sexual Contact • Harassment • Terroristic Threats • Sexual Assault • Riot
Bullying – What does it now include? Harassment Intimidation Bullying Bias Intimidation / Intimidation as a Bias Crime Assault Terroristic Threats Stalking Invasion of Privacy Criminal Mischief Bullying is a Conduit for Gang Recruitment
Bullying – What some are saying Will making schools legally responsible for bullying on a wider scale lead to more complaints? Will it open the door to lawsuits from students and parents dissatisfied with the outcome? - or – Do schools need to do more? Are conflicts spreading through social media and becoming harder to shut down? Now each superintendent must report to Trenton twice per year detailing all reported/investigated bullying episodes. In 2008-09, the most recent year for which a total was available, there were 2,846 reports to Trenton 2,846/180=15.8 per day statewide
Bullying – What will this law do? In East Hanover, Lunch-line bullies can be reported to the police by their classmates this fall through anonymous tips to the Crimestoppers hot line. In Elizabeth, Children, including kindergartners, will spend six class periods learning, among other things, the difference between telling and tattling. In North Hunterdon HS, student will be told that there is no such thing as an innocent bystander when it comes to bullying: if they see it, they have a responsibility to try to stop it. Bullying Law Puts NJ Schools on Spot N.Y. Times 8/30/11
Bullying – What some are saying A recent opinion column on nj.com by a mother that was called by the Vice Principal of her daughter’s school asking about a writing assignment that the language arts teacher turned in to the office. In it, students were asked to relate a real life experience to a character in the book and the girl discussed an experience at summer camp SEVERAL YEARS earlier about a girl she had a conflict with, and that she was bullied by that girl. http://blog.nj.com/perspective/2011/09/njs_new_bullying_law_forces_sc.html
Bullying – What some are saying A Ridgewood Middle School student was overheard by a teacher calling his friend a retard during lunch. A HIB report was filed, an investigation ensued, both parents were called and a report went to the superintendent, the school board and the NJDOE. “Now it’s on the offending student’s school record that he committed harassment, intimidation and bullying. It’s possible that a college could get access to his disciplinary record.” Northjersey.com – Bob Holt column October 20, 2011 Since the start of the school year, Ridgewood has heard 10-15 complaints per day, East Side HS in Paterson has heard none all school year.
Bullying – What some are saying A VP in Jackson had a parent call him THIS WEEK to ask that a HIB investigation be done on her daughter that was bullying MOM! An bullying expert from St. Barnabas Behavioral Health told a 2nd grade teacher LAST WEEK in an in-service that a 2nd grader who called another 2nd grader a “BIG HEAD” with “COOTIES” a reportable offense. An Ocean County parent called in an HIB complaint that their daughter was being bullied and the investigation found that all threats made were made by their daughter. She was suspended and now it’s on their daughter’s permanent record.
Bullying – What some are saying I think the new law is crossing the line because it is trying to legislate good manners, and that is what parents are supposed to be teaching their children. School districts will likely have to hire anti-bullying administrators in addition to coordinators and specialists to comply with the new law. Central Regional School District Superintendent, Berkely, NJ
Bullying – WHERE ARE WE NOW? It is concentrated in the Middle School Overwhelming Verbal in Nature Not Nearly as Widespread on the Internet as some previously thought and stated BUT… Does the 2012 Report accurately paint the picture?
Bullying – WHERE ARE WE NOW? BUT… Does the 2012 Report accurately paint the picture? Data was SELF-REPORTED Some districts reported NO Bullying Incidents Some Districts were more zealous than others 35,552 alleged HIB cases investigated One-third were verified as HIB
The Bully Triangle • BULLY • Target of the Bully / Victim • BYSTANDERS / Witnesses Bully Bystanders Target
The SOLUTION To Bullying BULLY - CONSEQUENCES Target of the Bully / Victim – Be Heard! BYSTANDERS / Witnesses – Standing Up! Bully 85% Bystanders Target
The Steered Straight STAY IN YOUR LANE Plan! DO NO HARM Treat Other People the Way You Want to be Treated Think BEFORE You SPEAK Use Your Voice
Eliminating Bullying – Advice to Kids Use Your Voice Treat People The Way You Want To Be Treated Everyone Is EQUAL! Nobody Has The Right To Bully Another Person
Anti-Bullying Bill of Rights H.I.B. Harassment Intimidation Bullying Recognize It, Refuse It, Report It Bullying vs. Normal Conflict Know the Difference
Bullying? Horseplay? Gets Serious Sometimes what we think of as a simple act of youthful horseplay can affect us forever Sometimes what we call bullying is something else entirely 2 Somerset County 14 year old boys are learning this the hard way
Bullying? Horseplay? Gets Serious Sometimes what we think of as a simple act of youthful horseplay can affect us forever 2 Somerset County 14 year old boys are learning this the hard way
2 N.J. teens labeled sex offenders for life after 'horseplay' incident Often, the law is Complex Kids need to be aware, that actions have consequences. Legislation is changing, and the Bullying Bill of Rights will change it further.
Internet Wanksters Internet Wankster – Keyboard Prankster Digital Is FOREVER!
Cyber - Bullying Digital is Forever!
Cyber Bullying You Think He Contemplated The Consequences Of His Actions? You Think His Life Will EVER Be Normal?
Bullies End Up In Jail 60% of boys who were characterized as bullies in Grades 6 – 9 had at least one conviction by age 24!
Bullying Eric Mohat, 17, was harassed so mercilessly in high school that when one bully said publicly in class, “Why don’t you go home and shoot yourself, no one will miss you,” he did.
Bullying • The central element in bullying is an Imbalance of Power • Power can be social, physical, or psychological • Today, Bullying takes many forms – and SO DO Bullies
What’s Wrong with this Picture? How often do you see this scene at school? How did this become acceptable behavior? How would you feel if you were the girl in the white shirt?
Everyone is Equally Important Treat others the way you want to be treated DO NO HARM
Wilin’ Out Leads To Jail • Lack of a Personal Schedule • Chillin’ • Hanging Out • “Wilding” • Poor Decisions • Drinking • Smoking Weed
Old Bridge – Middlesex County 5 Teens in Old Bridge are athletes, musicians, good students • Four 16, one 17 • 3 have never been in trouble • 4 Were involved in their community • 4 Started on varsity athletic teams • ALL Have solid families June 25, 2010
Old Bridge,NJ - Bullies In Court Five Old Bridge High School teens accused in beating death to be tried as adults Sept 24, 2010
Old Bridge – Middlesex County Plea Offered to the Driver – 30 years without parole! Dec 17, 2010 Stephen Contreras – 17 yrs. old
Old Bridge, NJ - Bullies Judge Rules Texts & Facebook Postings are Admissible at Trial • Some of the texts were made within 10 minutes of the attack • 29 of 34 were admissible, 5 others were too inflammatory dealing with BRAGGING • Some texts laid out plans to beat someone else up the next day • Some texts described what they should do if questioned by police