Harassment
Policy and Information
Roland-Story Harassement Policy
Student to Student
Harassment of students by other students will not be tolerated in the school district. This policy is in effect while students are on school grounds, school district property, or on property within the jurisdiction of the school district; while on school-owned and/or school-operated buses, vehicles or chartered buses; while attending or engaged in school activities; and while away from school grounds if the misconduct directly affects the good order, efficient management and welfare of the school district.
Harassment prohibited by the district includes, but is not limited to, harassment on the basis of race, gender, gender identity, age, creed, color, national origin, religion, marital status, sexual orientation, or disability. Students whose behavior is found to be in violation of this policy will be subject to the investigation procedure which may result in discipline, up to and including, suspension and expulsion.
Employee
Harassment of employees and students will not be tolerated in the school district. School district includes school district facilities, school district premises, and non-school property if the employee or student is at any school sponsored, school approved or school related activity or function, such as field trips or athletic events where students are under the control of the school district or where the employee is engaged in the school business.
Harassment includes, but is not limited to race, religion, national origin, age, disability, gender, creed, color, sexual orientation, or marital status. Harassment by school board members, administrators, employees, parents, students, vendors, and others doing business with the school district is prohibited. Employees whose behavior is found to be in violation of this policy will be subject to the investigation procedure, which may result in discipline to and including, discharge or other appropriate action. Other individuals whose behavior is found to be in violation of this policy will be subject to appropriate sanctions as determined and imposed by the superintendent or school board.
All Harassment Investigation: the district will timely investigate allegations of harassment. The building principal will be responsible for handling all formal complaints by students alleging harassment. The building counselor will be the alternate investigator.
BULLYING DEFINITION
Bullying is unwanted, aggressive behavior among school aged children that involves a real or perceived power imbalance. The behavior is repeated, or has the potential to be repeated, over time. Both kids who are bullied and who bully others may have serious, lasting problems.
In order to be considered bullying, the behavior must be aggressive and include:
An Imbalance of Power: Kids who bully use their power—such as physical strength, access to embarrassing information, or popularity—to control or harm others. Power imbalances can change over time and in different situations, even if they involve the same people.
Repetition: Bullying behaviors happen more than once or have the potential to happen more than once.
Bullying includes actions such as making threats, spreading rumors, attacking someone physically or verbally, and excluding someone from a group on purpose.
Types of bullying
There are three types of bullying:
Verbal bullying is saying or writing mean things. Verbal bullying includes:
Teasing
Name-calling
Inappropriate sexual comments
Taunting
Threatening to cause harm
Social bullying, sometimes referred to as relational bullying, involves hurting someone’s reputation or relationships. Social bullying includes:
Leaving someone out on purpose
Telling other children not to be friends with someone
Spreading rumors about someone
Embarrassing someone in public
Physical bullying involves hurting a person’s body or possessions. Physical bullying includes:
Hitting/kicking/pinching
Spitting
Tripping/pushing
Taking or breaking someone’s things
Making mean or rude hand gestures
Where and When Bullying Happens
Bullying can occur during or after school hours. While most reported bullying happens in the school building, a significant percentage also happens in places like on the playground or the bus. It can also happen traveling to or from school, in the youth’s neighborhood, or on the Internet.
Frequency of Bullying
There are two sources of federally collected data on youth bullying:
The 2011 Youth Risk Behavior Surveillance System(Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) indicates that, nationwide, 20% of students in grades 9–12 experienced bullying.
The 2008–2009 School Crime Supplement (National Center for Education Statistics and Bureau of Justice Statistics) indicates that, nationwide, 28% of students in grades 6–12 experienced bullying.
Cyberbullying
Cyberbullying happens when kids bully each other through electronic technology. Find out why cyberbullying is different from traditional bullying, what you can do to prevent it, and how you can report it when it happens.
What is Cyberbullying
Cyberbullying is bullying that takes place using electronic technology. Examples of cyberbullying include mean text messages or emails, rumors sent by email or posted on social networking sites, and embarrassing pictures, videos, websites, or fake profiles.
Prevent Cyberbullying
Parents and kids can prevent cyberbullying. Together, they can explore safe ways to use technology.
Report Cyberbullying
When cyberbullying happens, it is important to document and report the behavior so it can be addressed.
Who is at Risk
Bullying can happen anywhere, but depending on the environment, some groups may be at an increased risk. Learn what factors increase the risk of children being bullied or children more likely to bully others and what warning signs can indicate that bullying may be happening. You can also find out how bullying can negatively impact kids.
No single factor puts a child at risk of being bullied or bulling others. Bullying can happen anywhere—cities, suburbs, or rural towns. Depending on the environment, some groups—such as lesbian, gay, bisexual, or transgender (LGBT) youth, youth with disabilities, and socially isolated youth—may be at an increased risk of being bullied.
There are many warning signs that may indicate that someone is affected by bullying—either being bullied or bullying others. Recognizing the warning signs is an important first step in taking action against bullying. Not all children who are bullied or are bullying others ask for help.
Bullying can affect everyone—those who are bullied, those who bully, and those who witness bullying. Bullying is linked to many negative outcomes including impacts on mental health, substance use, and suicide. It is important to talk to kids to determine whether bullying—or something else—is a concern.
Schools and communities that respect diversity can help protect children against bullying behavior. However, when children perceived as different are not in supportive environments, they may be at a higher risk of being bullied. When working with kids from different groups—including LGBT youth and youth with disabilities or special health care needs—there are specific things you can do to prevent and address bullying.
Get Help Now
When you, your child, or someone close to you is being bullied, there are many steps to take to help resolve the situation. Make sure you understand what bullying is and what it is not, the warning signs of bullying, and steps to take for preventing and responding to bullying, including how to talk to children about bullying, prevention in schools and communities, and how to support children involved.
After reviewing that information, if you feel you have done everything you can to resolve the situation and nothing has worked, or someone is in immediate danger, there are ways to get help.
The Problem ➡️ What you can do
🔴 There has been a crime or someone is at immediate risk of harm. ➡️ Call 911
🔴 Someone is feeling hopeless, helpless, thinking of suicide. ➡️ Contact
*National Suicide Prevention Lifeline
online or at 1-800-273-TALK (8255).
The toll-free call goes to the nearest crisis center in our national network. These centers provide 24-hour crisis counseling and mental health referrals.
🔴 Someone is acting differently than normal, such as always seeming sad or anxious, struggling to complete tasks, or not being able care for themselves. ➡️ Find a local
🔴 A child is being bullied in school. ➡️ Contact
1) Teacher
2) School counselor
3) School principal
4) School superintendent
5) State Department of Education
See more on working with the school.
🔴 The school is not adequately addressing harassment based on race, color, national origin, sex, disability, or religion. ➡️ Contact
*School superintendent
*State Department of Education
*U.S. Department of Education, Office for Civil Rights
*U.S. Department of Justice, Civil Rights Division
Prevention
Parents, school staff, and other adults in the community can help kids prevent bullying by talking about it, building a safe school environment, and creating a community-wide bullying prevention strategy. Find out what you can do.
Parents, school staff, and other caring adults have a role to play in preventing bullying. They can help kids understand bullying, keep the lines of communication open, encourage kids to do what they love, and model how to treat others with kindness and respect.
Bullying can threaten students’ physical and emotional safety at school and can negatively impact their ability to learn. The best way to address bullying is to stop it before it starts. There are a number of things school staff can do to make schools safer and prevent bullying.
Bullying can be prevented, especially when the power of a community is brought together. Community-wide strategies can help identify and support children who are bullied, redirect the behavior of children who bully, and change the attitudes of adults and youth who tolerate bullying behaviors in peer groups, schools, and communities.
Across the country, local leaders are stepping up to address bullying. Our Bullying Prevention Training Modules are designed to provide individuals with research-based tools and resources to organize effective bullying prevention efforts in their communities.
Respond to Bullying
How you respond can make an impact on bullying over time. Find out what you can do to stop it on the spot and support the kids involved.
When adults respond quickly and consistently to bullying behavior, they send the message that it is not acceptable. Research shows this can stop bullying behavior over time. There are simple steps adults can take to stop bullying on the spot and keep kids safe.
Whether you’ve just stopped bullying on the spot or a child has reached out to you for help, learn how to determine the best way to proceed.
All kids involved in bullying—whether they are bullied, bully others, or see bullying—can be affected. It is important to support all kids involved to make sure the bullying doesn’t continue and effects can be minimized.
Every day, kids see bullying. They want to help, but don’t know how. Here are a few simple and safe ways that your child can help someone who’s being bullied and be more than a bystander.
Download the KnowBullying App!
Parents and caregivers who spend at least 15 minutes a day talking with their child can build the foundation for a strong relationship, and help prevent bullying.KnowBullying, a new mobile app by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), encourages dialogue between you and your children and helps you start a conversation.KnowBullying by SAMHSA includes:
- Conversation Starters: Start a meaningful discussion with your child.
- Tips: Learn ways to prevent bullying.
- Warning Signs: Know if your child is affected by bullying.
- Reminders: Find the right time to connect with your child.
- Social Media: Share tactics and useful advice.
- Section for Educators: Prevent bullying in the classroom.
The KnowBullying app is available for Android and iPhone. It is a free resource for mobile devices provided by SAMHSA, in conjunction with the StopBullying.gov
Federal partnership.
Put the power to prevent bullying in your hand. Get the KnowBullying app.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
November 27, 2012
IDPH Launches Bullying, Suicide Hotline
Help available by text or call
Today at the Governor’s Bullying Prevention Summit, Governor Branstad announced the launch of a new “go-to” resource where youth, parents, school personnel and all concerned Iowans can get help and information about bullying and youth suicide.
Available 24/7, Your Life Iowa is a phone call or text away at www.Yourlifeiowa.org or 855-581-8111. Trained counselors will provide guidance and support about bullying, and critical help to youth who feel they’ve run out of options and are considering suicide.
“This hotline is another step toward building a healthier Iowa for our young people, but we are a long way from where we need to be,” said IDPH Director, Dr. Mariannette Miller-Meeks. “It will take sensitivity and awareness by all Iowans to end bullying and to provide the encouragement and support young people need to see beyond the immediate and tragically irreversible action of suicide.”
Your Life Iowa is funded by the Iowa Department of Public Health in partnership with Boys Town, the State of Iowa Youth Advisory Committee, and the Iowa Department of Education Bullying Prevention, Intervention and Reporting Initiative.