What Teachers Need to Know About Bullying/Harassment

1. What Teachers Need to Know About Bullying/Harassment

2. Introduction To Brevard Public SchoolsBullying Policy 5517.01 Offices of Student Services and Risk Management 2012-2013

3. Brevard’s Policy The Board is committed to a safe, secure, positive, productive and nurturing educational environment that is free from bullying or harassment of any kind for all of its students, employees, volunteers, parents and/or school visitors.

4. Florida State Statute 1006.147 Information on the Jeffrey Johnston “Stand Up for all Students Act” Policy Requirements to uphold the law: Prohibit bullying or harassment by any student, school employee, volunteer, parent and/or school visitor; Standard definition of bullying/harassment.

5. Further requirements include: A reporting system, including anonymous reporting; Investigation procedures and time frames; Interventions for both the victim and bully; Data Collection / Reporting; A method to provide instruction / training for all students, school employee, volunteers, parent and/or school visitor.

6. Definition of Bullying Bullying means systematically and chronically inflicting physical hurt or psychological distress on one or more students or employees. It is further defined as unwanted and repeated written, verbal, or physical behavior, including any threatening, insulting,…

7. Definition of Bullying …or dehumanizing gesture, by an adult or a student, that is severe or pervasive enough to create an intimidating, hostile, or offensive educational environment; to cause discomfort or humiliation; or unreasonably interfere with the individual’s school performance or participation.

8. Bullying may involve, but is not limited to: (Unwanted) teasing Social exclusion Threat Intimidation Stalking Physical violence Theft Public humiliation Cyber-bullying Cyber-stalking Sexual, religious, or racial/ethnic harassment Damaging or destruction of property Placing a student in reasonable fear of harm to his/her person or property

9. Characteristics of BullyingRIP Repeated Imbalance of Power Purposeful

10. Direct Bullying can be… Physical violence such as hitting, kicking, shoving, spitting; Taunting, teasing, racial slurs; Sexual, religious, or verbal harassment; Threatening; Obscene gestures; Theft; Destruction of property; and/or Stalking.

11. Indirect Bullying can be… Getting another person to bully someone for you Intimidation Spreading rumors, public humiliation Deliberately excluding someone from a group or activity Relational aggression (gossip, lies, betrayal, isolation) Cyber-bullying Cyber-stalking

12. What is Harassment? Any threatening, insulting, or dehumanizing gesture, use of data or computer software, or written, verbal, or physical conduct directed against a student or school employee that:

13. What is Harassment? Places a student or school employee in reasonable fear of harm to her or her person or damage to his or her property; Has the effect of substantially interfering with a student’s educational performance, opportunities, or benefits; Has the effect of substantially disrupting the orderly operation of a school.

14. Cyber-bullying & Cyber-stalking“Use of electronic communication or technological devices to include…” • Email messages • Instant messaging • Text messaging • Cellular phone communication • Internet blogs • Social websites • Internet chat rooms • Internet postings • Digital pictures / images • Defamatory websites to engage in acts of bullying and harassment

15. New addition regarding Cyber-bullying: The physical location or time of access of a computer-related incident cannot be raised as a defense in any disciplinary action initiated under this section.

16. What does this Mean? This means no matter where or when a computer was used to bully/harass a student or school adult, if reported, disciplinary sanctions must be taken by a school administrator.

17. Characteristics of BullyingRIP Repeated Imbalance of Power Purposeful

18. How Bullies Act • Harm occurs as the result of an intentional act, rather than the result of a mistake or negligence. • A power imbalance exists between the target and the perpetrator. • The perpetrator enjoys carrying out the action. • The perpetrator repeats the behavior, often in a systematic way. • The victim is hurt physically or psychologically and has a sense of being persecuted or oppressed. -Source Olweus (1993)

19. Three Types of Bullying • Physical Bullying: Harm to another’s person or property. • Emotional Bullying: Harm to another’s self-concept. • Relational Bullying: Harm to another through damage (or threat of damage) to relationship or to feelings of acceptance, friendship, or group inclusion.

20. Teachers Think They See Everything and Respond • Toronto survey, Ziegler and Pepler (1993) • 71% of teachers indicated they almost always intervene in incidents of bullying. • Only 25% of students surveyed indicated this to be the case. • Survey speculates reasons: Majority of episodes are verbal. Episodes are brief. Bullying occurs when monitoring is low. Behavior is covert.

21. Early Warning Traits of a Bully/Victims Phase One – Trolling (Perpetrator looks for easy targets) • Students with low self-esteem. • Students with low physical strength. • Students easily intimidated. • Students who don’t resist/fight back. Perpetrator will test potential victim boundaries by invading the students personal space, test reactions to guide comments, threats, taunts. Phase Two – Campaign (Perpetrator escalated the behavior) • Student victim hopes for relief and tries to fit in. • Student victim experiences guilt, self-blame, shame at not being able to stop • the behavior or stand up for himself or herself. • Perpetrator more frequently attacks and will often encourage others to • participate or tell all involved or witnesses to the bullying not to tattle. Phase Three – Bully-Victim Relationship (What started subtly is now happening every day in multiple places) • Student victim experiences a growing sense of despair. • Propensity for violence increase for both the Bully and the Victim.

22. Liability, Negligence, Duty of Care? • Liabilityis legal responsibility – • The obligation to do, or not to do something. • Negligenceis a failure to act as a reasonable person • is expected to act in similar circumstances, when a duty • exists towards the person affected. • Duty of Care requires individuals to consider the • consequence of their acts and omissions, and to ensure • those acts or omissions do not give rise to a foreseeable • risk of injury to another person.

23. What to do when: • Level I Response– • Students who approach a teacher or teacher observes problems he/she perceives as bullying: • Teacher should learn if this has happened before. Obtain dates, times, and circumstances. All multiple incidents of bullying must be referred to administration for investigation. (Level II response.) • If this is the first report and no prior incidents have occurred, teacher should intervene and correct the perpetrating student. The goal is to correct the situation. (i.e. speak to the perpetrator and try to resolve without major disciplinary impact). • Victims should be advised by the teacher what they are going to do, and the victim should be advised to report back if further issues arise. The teacher should follow up with the victim in a few days to see if issues have resolved. Several days or weeks later the teacher may once again follow up to make certain further incidents have not occurred. • If the student comes to report again, or if the teacher is made aware that the pattern of bullying is continuing, refer this to administration. (Level II response).

24. What to Do When (continued) • Level II Response – • Student approaches staff regarding multiple situations or teacher observes multiple events regarding bullying. • Formal investigation starts: • Victim completes Student Incident Reporting Form 1 • Administrator questions perpetrator (without victim present) and completes the Accused Statement Form 2. • Administrator questions any witnesses reported by the victim and the perpetrator. All witnesses complete Witness Statement Form 3. • Administrator reviews all statements taken, interviews any staff members that may have an impact on the investigation and decides if bullying occurred or not. Administrator completes the Incident Investigation Form 4. • If bullying found attempt to rectify using Student Code of Conduct discipline along with forms 5 & 6.

25. What to Do When (continued) • Level III Response – • Serious matters if the investigation includes: • Sexual Harassment • Racial Harassment • Discrimination base of protected class (race, sex, disability, etc.) • Illegal or criminal activity • Pattern of taunting & harassment over time by the same perpetrator toward the same victim • Severe, persistent, or perverse behavior • Some or all of the above may need police intervention.

26. How Do Courts Determine If a School is Negligent? Courts ask four questions: Did the educator have a legal duty to the injured person? Did the educator fail to fulfill this duty? Was there an injury to the person to whom the educator had a duty? Did the educator’s failure to fulfill the duty directly, or promptly cause the injury? * Educator can be: teacher, school administrator, bus driver, after school child care worker, or anyone employed or volunteers by or for the school who has a role in supervising students.

27. How Is Liability Established under Federal Civil Rights Laws? • The supervisor/school official received notice of a pattern of improper acts by a teacher or educator; • The supervisor/school official demonstrated deliberate indifference to or tacit authorization of the offensive act; • The supervisor/school official failed to take sufficient remedial action; and • Such failure proximately caused injury to the student.

28. Expected Behaviors from All • No tolerance for bullying/harassment; • Create a positive school climate, positive reinforcement for good conduct, self-discipline, good citizenship, and academic success; • All will demonstrate appropriate behavior and treat others with civility and respect.

29. How Students Report Verbal: In-person reporting; Written: BPS Student Incident Reporting Form (1); Anonymous: Bully Box, Speak Out Hotline (1.800.226.7733), School-based website if applicable; If an oral report is made it should be documented on the Student Incident Reporting Form (1) and the Incident Investigation Form (4).

30. How All Others Report Verbal: In-person reporting; Written: Student Incident Reporting Form (1); Anonymous: Speak Out Hotline (1.800.226.7733), Ethics Hotline (located on BPS Home webpage), School-based website if applicable. If an oral report is made it should be documented on the Student Incident Reporting Form (1) and the Incident Investigation Form (4).

31. About Anonymous Reporting… Formal disciplinary action may not be based solely on the basis of an anonymous report.

32. Incident Reporting and Immunity GOOD FAITH – Anyone making a report in good faith is immune from cause of action/damages. It will NOT affect employment, grades, learning/working environment or assignments. WRONGFUL & INTENTIONAL – Consequences and appropriate remedial action will apply.

33. What a School Community Should Do: Preventing and responding to bullying/harassment is the responsibility of administrators, teachers, school staff members, students, and parents. Help create a climate where bullying is NOT TOLERATED! Model caring, kindness, respect, and responsibility.

34. How Teachers Can Prevent Bullying Model behavior that is inclusive and promotes respect for all; Provide opportunities to talk about bullying and define bullying as an unacceptable behavior-class meetings where students only compliment each other or express appreciation to a classmate works well; and Post and publicize rules against bullying;

35. More Ways… Model and apply rules, policies, and sanctions fairly and consistently to your students; Take immediate action when bullying is observed and respond to all reports of bullying; Provide protection for students who are bullied;

36. And More Ways… Incorporate classroom activities that spotlight individual talents, interests, and abilities; and Implement a District approved curriculum to help students learn better coping and social skills: Second Step Violence Prevention Program (K-6) Life Skills (6-8) Bully Box (K-8)

37. Monitor school “hot spots”… The playground The cafeteria The hallways Restrooms The car loop The bus loop The back of the classroom

38. Tell Students if they are a target of bullying it is okay to: Tell the bully to STOP! Walk away If the bullying behavior is repeated, REPORT THE BULLY!

39. What Teachers Need to Know: Do NOT expect victims to solve the problem! Do NOT expect that bullies will grow out of the bullying behavior. Adults MUST educate themselves, their children, and work together. Be proactive in preventing bullying rather than being reactive.

40. Teach Students that Bystanders Should: Tell the person to STOP! Express disapproval by NOT JOINING IN! If the bullying behavior towards the individual is repeated, REPORT THE BULLY!

41. Actions taken for students who violate the policy… • Counseling; • Social Skills Training; • Referral to Certified Behavior Analyst (CBA); • Suspension; • Expulsion; • Reported to law enforcement.

42. Consequences for School Employees who violate the policy… Brevard Public School Employees Ethics Policy Report; Referral to EAP; Disciplinary letter in file; Report to Professional Practice Commission; Up to recommendation of termination.

43. Consequences for Parents, Visitors/Volunteers who violate this policy… • Determined by the School Administrator; • Trespassed; • If applicable, report to appropriate law enforcement agency.

44. Again! Expected Behavior… No tolerance for bullying/harassment; Create a positive school climate-positive reinforcement for good conduct, self-discipline, good citizenship, and academic success; and All will demonstrate appropriate behavior and treat others with civility and respect.

45. REMEMBER! Your responsibilities to uphold the law… Prohibit bullying or harassment by any student, school employee, volunteer, parent and/or school visitor; Report bullying/harassment should it be happening to you or you witness it happening to someone else.