Glen Taylor’s Bullying Policy

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Glen Taylor School Anti-Bullying Statement

Glen Taylor Elementary School recognizes that all students have the right to feel safe, secure, and respected when they come to school. Everyone in the school community has the right to feel free from any threat of bullying or harassment. Students should also feel safe when reporting incidents to staff members. It is necessary that we, as members of the Glen Taylor Elementary School community, adhere to the anti-bullying policy proactively, fairly and consistently.

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Purpose

• To provide a safe, secure learning environment for all

• To create a supportive environment that allows for open, honest communication

• To raise awareness of the issues involved with bullying and harassment and provide skills and strategies to students, staff, and parents

• To provide interventions that teach empathy, respect and compassion to those involved in bullying and harassment situations

• To implement procedures to address bullying and harassment

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Definitions   

What is bullying? Bullying includes hitting, name-calling, exclusion, or other behavior that is meant to hurt. Bullying is carried out by someone who has more power over someone who has less power.

   

Bullying is not the same thing as a disagreement between two people.

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Bullying and harassment are defined as a negative, intimidating action(s), that intentionally or unintentionally harms, upsets, or compromises the physical, psychological, educational, or emotional well-being of a person(s). This would include any bullying or harassing behaviors based on any actual or perceived characteristic, such as sex, race, color, ethnicity, national origin, religion, socioeconomic status, age, gender identity, sexual orientation, height, weight, and expression of a mental, physical, or sensory disability or impairment; or by any other distinguishing characteristic.

 

Bullying and harassment in any form is prohibited, including but not limited to:

• Verbal -name calling, personal comments, racial abuse, gossip, taunting, insulting, making threats, or intimidation

• Social -being deliberately and maliciously excluded by an individual or group

• Material -when possessions are stolen or damaged or extortion takes place

• Emotional -as when pressure to conform is applied or social relationships are manipulated

• Physical -hitting, kicking, pushing, pulling, blocking/impeding student’s movement, physical assaulting or any other unwelcome physical contact

• Written -including graffiti, text messages, web sites, social network sites, blogs, or other misuses of technology

 

Sexual harassment may include, but is not limited to the following:

Verbal harassment or abuse

Pressure for sexual activity

Repeated remarks with sexual or demeaning implications

Unwelcome touching

Sexual jokes, posters, cartoons, etc.

Suggesting or demanding sexual involvement, accompanied by implied or explicit threats

 

Reporting Strategies

Incidents of bullying or harassment should be reported to staff, administration or on the CCSD “Bully Reporting” website without exception. If such an incident involves physical threats or safety issues, it must be reported to administration immediately. Every reasonable effort will be made to maintain confidentiality during the investigation process. However, a proper investigation will, in some circumstances, require the disclosure of names and allegations.

   

Student Reporting

Students can report bullying or harassment to any member of the staff, to a peer mentor or report bullying online anonymously using the CCSD “Bully Reporting” website. Students seeing others being bullied are encouraged to report it as well. When bullying is reported, the classroom teacher or staff member shall make every effort to deal with the situation immediately. Further appropriate action and follow-up will then take place as soon as possible.

   

Role of the Staff

Everyone in the school will be aware of the indications of potential bullying and harassment and will act in response to these situations. Staff responses may include:

• Listening to and reassuring the student

• Continuing to offer help, advice and support to the student

• Taking action as quickly as possible

• Making it clear that such behavior is not acceptable

• Establishing whether or not the incident is part of a pattern; then the following should occur where appropriate:

• Reporting the incident to the appropriate administrator for further disciplinary action and/or threat assessment

• Referring the incident to the appropriate counselor or social worker for further support