Bullying Policy

SS 6.0

Bullying, harassment, or intimidation (as defined below) of any student is prohibited in all Archdiocese of Baltimore Schools. Retaliation or reprisal against anyone who reports such behaviors or participates in an investigation of a report is also prohibited. Such behaviors are contrary to school life in a Christ-centered community, which respects the dignity and uniqueness of all of God's children. 

Purpose:

• To foster a school environment where all students are educated in a safe and caring atmosphere, all Archdiocesan schools will follow established procedures for bullying prevention, intervention, and response.

• Discrimination and harassment of students on the basis of race, color, sex, national origin, religion, disability or handicap are also addressed under the Archdiocesan Student Harassment Policy in the Code of Conduct. Suspected abuse or neglect of students is addressed under the Policy for the Protection of Children and Youth.

Commentary/Procedural Points: (As used in this policy)

1. Definitions

“Bullying, harassment, or intimidation” means intentional conduct, including written, verbal, or physical conduct or an intentional electronic communication, that:

a. Creates a hostile educational environment by substantially interfering with a student’s educational benefits, opportunities, or performance or with a student’s physical or psychological well-being and:

i. Is motivated by an actual or a perceived personal characteristic including race, national origin, marital status, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, religion, ancestry, physical attributes, socioeconomic status, familial status, or physical or mental ability or disability; or

ii. Is sexual in nature; or

iii. Is threatening or seriously intimidating; and

b. Occurs on school property, at a school activity or event, or on a school bus, or substantially disrupts the orderly operation of the school.

Electronic technology means a communication transmitted by means of an electronic device, including a telephone, cellular phone, computer, pager, etc.

Retaliation means an act of reprisal or revenge, i.e., getting back at a person for an act he/she committed (such as reporting misconduct).

2. Prevention

• Education on the prevention of and responses to bullying, harassment, and intimidation will be delivered to all students in kindergarten through grade twelve through orientation, religion classes, guidance lessons, or other age-appropriate means.

• School faculty will ensure that students are involved in activities that address bullying, cyber-bullying, harassment, or intimidation and in creating a culture of peer support and mutual respect.

• School faculty will promote student involvement in the anti-bullying efforts, peer support, mutual respect, and a culture which encourages students to report incidents of bullying to adults.

• School principals will ensure that professional development is provided to school faculty and staff on how to respond appropriately to students who bully or are bullied, and how to empower bystanders.

• School principals will provide parents with education on the negative impact of bullying for students, the family and the school community as well as proactive strategies to prevent bullying, harassment, and intimidation.

• School principals will educate School Board members on the negative impact of bullying for students, the family and the school community and the school's bullying preventions, intervention and response policy and education protocols.

3. Intervention

• School principals and/or their designee are responsible for providing appropriate assistance to students who have been affected by behavior prohibited in this policy.  Remedial measures should be designed to correct the bullying behavior, prevent another occurrence, and protect the victim.

• A student who violates this policy may be required to participate in appropriate counseling/intervention determined by the school principal that is designed to increase the student's understanding of the offense and its impact on others.

• School principals will collaborate with the Department of Catholic Schools to address students who repeatedly commit acts of bullying, harassment or intimidation.

4. Procedures for Reporting

i.  All staff members will respond quickly and appropriately to intervene in any reported incident of bullying, harassment or intimidation (whether the report is made verbally or in writing) and shall immediately inform the school principal of the report.

ii. If a student (including a witness or bystander) wishes to discuss an incident of bullying, harassment, or intimidation with a staff member, the staff member will make an effort to provide the student with a practical, safe, private, and age appropriate way of doing so.

iii. All reports will be documented using the Bullying Prevention, Intervention and Response Reporting Form. A student may request assistance from a staff member, parent or close adult relative to complete the Form at school. If the student and the student’s family do not complete the Form, a staff member should complete the Form based on the information provided by the reporter(s).

iv. The student, the student’s parent or close adult relative, or a staff member should complete and submit the Bullying Prevention, Intervention and Response Reporting Form to the school principal in person, by mail, or electronically.

v. Reporting forms should be available in all schools in the main (front) office, counselor's office, and other locations determined by the school principal.

vi. The principal or designee will notify the parent/guardian of the alleged victim of a report of bullying, harassment or intimidation within three (3) business days after the incident is reported. The principal or designee will notify the parent/guardian of the alleged perpetrator of a report of bullying, harassment or intimidation within five (5) business days after the incident is reported.

vii. Principals will upload the written Bullying Reporting Form and Investigation Form for all bullying investigations into PowerSchool under Incident Management.  Principals will also notify their Associate Superintendent and cc: the Director of Student Support Services.

5. Procedures for Investigating

i. All reports of bullying, harassment or intimidation must be investigated promptly and appropriately by the school principal or designee.

ii. Pending the outcome of the investigation, the school principal will implement interim measures as needed to protect the victim or others from additional bullying, harassment, or intimidation, and from retaliation.

iii. All parties involved should be informed that any information gathered during the investigation will be confidential, i.e., disclosed only on a "need to know" basis.

iv. If the investigation determines that there was a violation of this policy, the school principal will apply consequences and/or remedial actions consistent with school disciplinary policies.

v. The school principal will create a written summary of the investigation, the outcome, and any corrective or remedial actions taken.  Investigative records, including written statements and physical evidence, will be maintained in a separate confidential file.  

vi. Without regard to the outcome of the investigation, the school principal will monitor the resolution of the alleged bullying, harassment, or intimidation incident. Separate conferences with the victim and alleged offender will occur within two weeks after the conclusion of the investigation. Both should be reminded of the prohibition against retaliation under this policy. In addition, another follow-up conference will be held with the victim four weeks after the initial follow-up conference.

6. Consequences

Consequences and remedial actions should be consistently and fairly applied for students found to have engaged in bullying, harassment, or intimidation; retaliation; or intentionally making false accusations. The following list of consequences and remedial actions is provided as a guide and by no means limits the school from implementing other consequences and remedial actions. The seriousness of the behavior and prior conduct of the involved students are considered when determining appropriate consequences.

Student Consequences:

• Parent notification

• Loss of a privilege

• Verbal reprimand

• Completion of letter of acknowledgement of action, with apology to the victim (after review by the principal and not in a case of sexual harassment or intimidation)

• Demerit

• Detention

• Reparation to victim in the form of payment for, or repair of damage to, possessions

• Reassignment of seats in class, cafeteria , or bus

• In-school suspension

• Out-of-school suspension

• Extended suspension

• Expulsion

Remedial Actions:

• Parent/Student Conference

• Counseling with school counselor or school psychologist

• Education about the effects of bullying, harassment, or intimidation

• Behavioral agreement

• Positive behavioral supports/plan that is appropriate to the developmental level of the student and the student's behavioral history

• Referral to an external agency

• Participation in counseling (delivered by a school or community mental health provider)

• Cooperation with a behavioral management program developed in consultation with a mental health professional

Types of support services available to the student offender, victim, witnesses, and any bystanders:

• Counseling/Conflict resolution

• Problem solving skills training (proactive, constructive, relationship-building)

• Social skills/competency training

• Anger management training

• Educational programming

• Parental involvement

• Peer support groups

• Schedule modifications

• Targeted use of monitors (e.g. hallways, cafeteria, buses)

• Public or private community-based mental health services

• Faith-based services

• Health Department Programs

• Department of Juvenile Services

• Department of Social Services

• Law enforcement agencies*

*A school principal may make a report to an appropriate law enforcement agency if, after an investigation is completed, the principal has reason to believe that a student has engaged in conduct that constitutes an offense under Maryland criminal law, including assault in the first or second degree or misuse of electronic communication or interactive computer service.

References:

• Bullying Investigation Forms

Rev. July 2024