"HAZING" is exacting humiliating performances from or playing rough practical jokes on another individual.
"HARASSMENT, INTIMIDATION OR BULLYING" means any gesture, written, verbal, or physical act, or any electronic communication, that takes place on school property, at any school sponsored function or on a school bus and that:
Is reasonably perceived as being motivated by any actual or perceived characteristics, such as race, color, religion, ancestry, national origin, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity and expression, or a mental, physical or sensory disability, or
By any other distinguishing characteristics; and
A reasonable person should know, under the circumstances, that the act(s) will have the effect of harming a pupil or damaging the pupil's property, or placing a pupil in reasonable fear of harm to his/her person or damage to his/her property; or
Has the effect of insulting or demeaning any pupil or group of pupils in such a way as to cause substantial disruption in, or substantial interference with the orderly operation of the school
Creates a hostile educational environment for the pupil by interfering with a pupil's education or by severely or pervasively causing physical or emotional harm to the pupil.
Acts of harassment, intimidation or bullying may also be a pupil exercising power and control over another pupil, in either isolated incidents (e.g., intimidation, harassment) or patterns of harassing or intimidating behavior (e.g., bullying).
"CYBER BULLYING" is the use of electronic information and communication devices, to include but not be limited to, email messages, instant messaging, text messaging, cellular telephone communications, internet blogs, internet chat rooms, internet postings, and defamatory websites, that:
Deliberately threatens, harasses, intimidates an individual or group of individuals; or,
Places an individual in reasonable fear of harm to the individual or damage to the individual's property; or
Has the effect of substantially disrupting the orderly operation of the school.
In the event that hazing, harassment, bullying or cyber-bullying was committed by a school pupil away from school grounds, the Building Principal or designee may report the investigation results to the appropriate law enforcement agency. In addition, school authorities have the right to impose consequences on a pupil or conduct away from school grounds when it is reasonably necessary for a pupil's physical or emotional safety.
Any form of HAZING, HARASSMENT, INTIMIDATION, BULLYING, CYBER BULLYING, or such harassment of any kind between students, shall be dealt with the severest of fashions to include, but not be included, but not limited to, IN-SCHOOL SUSPENSION, OUT-OF-SCHOOL SUSPENSION, REMOVAL FROM TEAM OR CLUB, PRINCIPAL'S OR SUPERINTENDENT'S HEARING. Hazing, harassment, intimidation or bullying in any form is absolutely forbidden and will be assessed as the greatest form of interpersonal disrespect.
Any concerns or reports of harassment, intimidation or bullying should be reported to an administrator or the District Anti-bullying specialist.
The board's policy (5512) prohibiting harassment, intimidation and bullying and explaining consequences of such actions can be found on the district main website (mhrd.org) as well as on the Morris Hills school website. Copies of the policy are also available in the Main Office.