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. Bullying includes actions such as making threats, spreading rumors, attacking someone physically or verbally, and excluding someone from a group on purpose (www.Stopbullying.gov).
Harassment may be defined as offensive behavior (physical, verbal or nonverbal) that intentionally targets a specific person or persons based on race, religion, gender/sex, sexual orientation, disability, or national origin.
Hazing may be defined as the practice of rituals and other activities involving harassment, abuse or humiliation used as a way of initiating a person into a group.
Students will not engage in any conduct, including but not limited to, cyberbullying, outside of school hours or away from school which may adversely affect the educational process or endanger the health, safety, morals, reputation, or well-being of other students, teachers, or other employees of the School District. By request, parents will be given information on how to press charges against individuals who threaten, endanger or physically harm their child after school hours or not on school grounds.
It should be noted that bullying does not involve actions as a result of mutual conflict. Please refer to other offense codes for violations that do not constitute bullying. For more information on bullying, harassment and hazing violations, please see the Code of Student Conduct- Student Rights and Responsibilities and Character Development Handbook.