The Board of Education prohibits acts of harassment, intimidation, or bullying of a student as outlined in board policy 5512. The Board has determined that a safe and civil environment in school is necessary for students to learn and achieve high academic standards; harassment, intimidation, or bullying, like other disruptive or violent behaviors, is conduct that disrupts both a student’s ability to learn and a school’s ability to educate its students in a safe and disciplined environment. Since students learn by example, school administrators, faculty, staff, and volunteers should be commended for demonstrating appropriate behavior, treating others with civility and respect, and refusing to tolerate harassment, intimidation, or bullying.
“Harassment, intimidation, or bullying” means any gesture, any written, verbal or physical act, or any electronic communication, as defined in N.J.S.A. 18A:37-14, whether it be a single incident or a series of incidents that:
Is 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 and expression, or a mental, physical or sensory disability, or by any other distinguishing characteristic;
Takes place on school property, at any school-sponsored function, on a school bus, or off school grounds, as provided for in N.J.S.A. 18A:37-15.3;
Substantially disrupts or interferes with the orderly operation of the school or the rights of other students; and that
A reasonable person should know, under the circumstances, that the act(s) will have 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 their person or damage to their property; or
Has the effect of insulting or demeaning any student or group of students; or
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.
(Source: Guidance for Parents on the Anti-Bullying Bill of Rights Act (P.L.2010, c.122))
“Conflicts vs. Bullying During a conflict, name-calling, threats and other conduct that might look like bullying can occur. However, a conflict and bullying are very different.
Unlike bullying, during a conflict people are equally involved in some type of disagreement. Conflict is considered mutual, meaning everyone is more or less evenly involved.
Bullying, on the other hand, involves one or several people (the bullies) intentionally committing a mean or violent act against another person(s) or group of people (the victims). When bullying occurs, there is no mutual participation in a disagreement; it is one-sided. Bullying victims have a hard time defending themselves. The victims want the bullying to stop, but the bully continues the behavior.
Conflicts and bullying can interrupt the school day, damage property and cause injuries to the people involved. However, when the behavior involves a conflict, the school will take action based on its code of student conduct instead of the ABR.
Bullying occurs when:
One or more students are victims of unwanted or uninvited aggression, as the behavior applies to the definition of harassment, intimidation and bullying in the ABR
The aggressor’s behavior would lead a person to reasonably believe that the aggressor is motivated by a desire to physically or emotionally hurt someone;
The aggression is one-sided; and
The behavior is not an attempt to positively or negatively address or resolve a problem.”
The district prohibits active or passive support for acts of harassment, intimidation, or bullying.
The school district will support students who:
Walk away from acts of harassment, intimidation, or bullying when they see them;
Constructively attempt to stop acts of harassment, intimidation, or bullying;
Provide support to students who have been subjected to harassment, intimidation, or bullying; and
Report acts of harassment, intimidation, or bullying to the designated school staff member.
Consequences and Remedial Actions
Appropriate consequences and remedial actions are those that are graded according to the severity of the offenses; consider the developmental ages of the student offenders; the nature of the student’s disability, if any and to the extent relevant; and students’ histories of inappropriate behaviors, per the Code of Student Conduct and N.J.A.C. 6A:16-7.
Reporting Harassment, Intimidation, or Bullying
The Principal ais responsible for receiving all complaints alleging harassment, intimidation, or bullying. All Board members, school employees, and volunteers and contracted service providers who have contact with students, are required to verbally report alleged acts of harassment, intimidation, or bullying to the Principal or designee on the same day when the individual witnessed or received reliable information regarding any such incident. All stakeholders are required to submit a report in writing to the Principal within two school days of the verbal report.
The Principal or designee is required to inform the parents of all students involved in alleged incidents, and, as appropriate, may discuss the availability of counseling and other intervention services. Pursuant to N.J.A.C. 6A:16-7.7(a)2.viii.(2), when providing notification to the parents of all students involved, the Principal or designee shall take into account the circumstances of the incident when conveying the nature of the incident, including the actual or perceived category motivating the alleged offense. The Principal, upon receiving a verbal or written report, may take interim measures to ensure the safety, health, and welfare of all parties pending the findings of the investigation.
Investigation
A thorough and complete investigation shall be initiated by the Principal within one school day of the verbal report of the incident. The investigation shall be conducted by the school Anti-Bullying Specialist and the Principal may appoint additional personnel who are not school Anti-Bullying Specialists to assist the school Anti-Bullying Specialist in the investigation. The investigation shall be completed, and the written findings submitted to the Principal as soon as possible, but not later than ten school days from the date of the written report of the alleged incident.
Reprisal or Retaliation
The Board of Education prohibits a Board member, school employee, contracted service provider who has contact with students, school volunteer, or student from engaging in reprisal, retaliation, or false accusation against a victim, witness, or any other person who has reliable information about an act of harassment, intimidation, or bullying or who reports an act of harassment, intimidation, or bullying. The consequence and appropriate remedial action for a person who engages in reprisal or retaliation shall be determined by the administrator after consideration of the nature, severity, and circumstances of the act, in accordance with case law, Federal and State statutes and regulations, and district policies and procedures.
False Accusations of Harassment, Intimidation, or Bullying
The Board of Education prohibits any person from falsely accusing another as a means of harassment, intimidation, or bullying. Consequences and appropriate remedial action for a student could range from positive behavioral interventions up to and including suspension or expulsion, as permitted under N.J.S.A. 18A:37-1, Discipline of Pupils and as set forth in N.J.A.C. 6A:16-7.2, Short-term suspensions, N.J.A.C. 6A:16-7.3, Long-term suspensions, and N.J.A.C. 6A:16-7.4, Expulsions.