Harassment, Intimidation, and Bullying

It seems like it is defined differently than from years ago, back when "I was a kid"?

Indeed, when today's parents were in school, visions of one child hitting another child on a playground and taking his or her lunch money was what was known as bullying. However, in 2011, the NJ State Legislature defined what harassent, intimidation, or bullying (HIB) is by law. In order for an event to be considered an incident of harassment, intimidation , or bullying there are specific criteria and ALL criteria must be met for it to be affirmed as a HIB event. Those criteria are:

1. An event can be any gesture, written , verbal, or physical act, or electonic communication, whether it is a single incident or a series of incidents.

2. The event must be seen as reasonably motivated either by any actual or perceived characteristic such as race, color, religion, ancestry, national orgin, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity and expression, or a mental physical or sensory disability, or by any other distinguishing characteristics.

3. The event 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 operations of a school.

4. One of the following criteria must be met:

   1. 1. The event has the effect of physically or emotionally harming a student or damaging the student's property, or placing a student in reasonable fear of physical or emotional harm to his person or damage to his property; OR

      2. The event has the effect of insulting or demeaning any student or group of students; OR

      3. Creates a hostile educational environment for the student by interfering with a student's education or by severely or pervasively causing physical or emotional harm to the student.

2022 Amendments to New Jersey's Anti-Bullying Bill of Rights Act (ABR): FAQs & Resources