Harassment, Intimidation and Bullying Information

WHAT IS HARASSMENT, INTIMIDATION & BULLYING?

Definition:

Harassment, Intimidation, & Bullying (H.I.B.) - any gesture, any written, verbal, or physical act, or any electronic communication, whether it be a single incident or a series of incidents that:

1. Is reasonably perceived as being motivated by either an action or perceived characteristic...

OR by any other distinguishing characteristic;

• Reasonably perceived as being motivated by either any actual or perceived characteristic such as:

• Race, Color, Religion, Ancestry, National Origin, Gender, Sexual Orientation, Gender Identity/Expression, Disability (Mental, Physical, Sensory), Or "any other distinguishing characteristic

• Any and all other actual perceived personal characteristic, behaviors, beliefs, affiliations, including, but not limited to: Height/Weight, Socio-Economic Status, Hair Color/Style, Birth Mark/Freckles, Acne, Braces/Glasses, Level of Intelligence

2. 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 day OR

• the rights of other pupils; AND

• a reasonable person (adult member of school community) should know, under the circumstances, that the act(s) will have the:

  • • 1. Effect of physical or emotional harm to a pupil or damage to their property, or placing a pupil in fear of physical or emotional harm to student or property OR

      2. Effect of insulting or demeaning a pupil or group of pupils; OR

      3. Create a hostile educational environment for the pupil by interfering with a pupil's education

WHAT DOES THIS MEAN?

If you insult someone on or off school grounds in a way that interferes with their rights and impacts their school day substantially.... you should definitely STOP NOW! If an investigation takes place and it is found that this is happening, there are strong consequences attached to those actions. More importantly, this means that another student is being negatively impacted by your actions. You wouldn't want this to happen to you, would you?

WHAT DO I DO IF...?

• I'm having a conflict with another student:

  • • If you can't talk out your problem, tell a trusted adult that you're having difficulty communicating. This can be a teacher, your counselor, the principal, a parent, etc. Let's solve the problem before it becomes bullying

• I think I'm being bullied:

  • • Tell someone. Do not respond unkindly or participate in the negative behaviors. Let an adult know that you need help. Write down what is happening, where it's happening, when it's happening, who is around you when it's happening, etc. The more details, the better.

• I think my friend is being bullied:

  • • Encourage them to let an adult know. Be a great friend to them by letting them know that they are not alone. Being a positive upstander (standing up for someone else) helps others feel like they are not alone. If your friend does not want to talk to an adult, you might be in a tough position. It's always better to let an adult know so that you can protect your friend.

• I think I might be bullying someone:

  • • Maybe you've been teasing a friend or an acquaintance, and you're unsure if you're crossing a line and making them feel uncomfortable. Everyone makes mistakes, but once you recognize your mistake and still participate in the behavior, you could lose a friend and/or get in trouble. STOP what you're doing, and think about how you would feel if someone was saying/doing the same things to you.

NORMAL CONFLICT VS HIB

Conflicts happen sometimes. It's important to recognize when conflicts are happening so the issue at hand can be resolved. Take a look at this comparison list to see if these conflicts are possibly falling into the bullying category.

Normal Conflict:

• Equal power, friends

• Accidental

• Not serious

• Equal emotional reaction

• Take responsibility and feel remorse

• Make an effort to solve the problem

• Not seeking power or attention

Bullying:

• • • Imbalance of power, not friends

    • Purposeful

    • Serious, potential threat of physical, emotional, or psychological harm

    • Strong emotional reaction on part of the target

    • Seeking power and control

    • Trying to gain material things or power

    • No remorse, blames the target

    • No effort to solve the problem

What is empathy?

• • • • Empathy is putting yourself is someone else's shoes. How would you feel if you were going through a difficult time, and nobody helped you? It's not easy to stand up for others when the rest of the crowd is not helping, but we need positive upstanders and leaders to take the initiative to stand up for what is right! Please watch this video to see how difficult it is sometimes to do the right thing. Then, evaluate how you can change this dynamic this in your group of friends, classes, etc.