The Governing Board recognizes the harmful effects of bullying on student learning and school attendance and desires to provide safe environments that protect students from physical and emotional harm. District employees shall establish student safety as a high priority and shall not tolerate bullying of any student.
No student or group of students shall, through physical, written, verbal, or other means, harass, sexually harass, threaten, intimidate, retaliate, cyberbully, cause bodily injury to, or commit hate violence against any other student, school personnel, school visitor, or any other person.
(cf. 5131 - Conduct)
(cf. 5136 - Gangs)
(cf. 5145.3 - Nondiscrimination/Harassment)
(cf. 5145.7 - Sexual Harassment)
(cf. 5145.9 - Hate-Motivated Behavior)
Cyberbullying includes the creation or transmission of harassing communications, direct threats, or other harmful texts, sounds, or images on the Internet, social media, school network, or other technologies using any electronic communication device. Cyberbullying also includes breaking into another person's electronic account and assuming that person's identity for any reason.
(cf. 5145.2 - Freedom of Speech/Expression)
Strategies for addressing bullying in district schools shall be developed with involvement of key stakeholders, including students, parents/guardians, and staff, and may be incorporated into the comprehensive safety plan, the local control and accountability plan, and other applicable district and school plans.
(cf. 0420 - School Plans/Site Councils)
(cf. 0450 - Comprehensive Safety Plan)
(cf. 0460 - Local Control and Accountability Plan)
(cf. 1220 - Citizen Advisory Committees)
(cf. 1400 - Relations Between Other Governmental Agencies and the Schools)
(cf. 6020 - Parent Involvement)
As appropriate, the Superintendent or designee may collaborate with law enforcement, courts, social services, mental health services, other agencies, and community organizations in the development and implementation of joint strategies to promote safety in schools and the community and to provide services for alleged victims and perpetrators of bullying.
(cf. 1020 - Youth Services)
Bullying Prevention
To the extent possible, district schools shall focus on prevention of bullying by establishing clear rules for student conduct and implementing strategies to promote a positive, collaborative school climate. Students shall be informed, through student handbooks and other appropriate means, of district and school rules related to bullying, mechanisms available for reporting incidents or threats, and the consequences for engaging in bullying.
(cf. 5137 - Positive School Climate)
As appropriate, the district may provide students with instruction, in the classroom or other educational settings, that promotes effective communication and conflict resolution skills, social skills, character/values education, respect for cultural and individual differences, self-esteem development, assertiveness skills, and appropriate online behavior.
(cf. 6142.8 - Comprehensive Health Education)
(cf. 6142.94 - History-Social Science Instruction)
(cf. 6163.4 - Student Use of Technology)
Staff shall receive related professional development, including information about early warning signs of harassing/intimidating behaviors and effective response.
(cf. 4131 - Staff Development)
(cf. 4231 - Staff Development)
(cf. 4331 - Staff Development)
Based on an assessment of bullying incidents at school, the Superintendent or designee may increase supervision and security in areas where bullying most often occurs, such as classrooms, playgrounds, hallways, restrooms, cafeterias.
Intervention
Students are encouraged to notify school staff when they are being bullied or suspect that another student is being victimized. In addition, the Superintendent or designee shall develop means for students to report threats or incidents confidentially and anonymously.
School staff who witness bullying shall immediately intervene to stop the incident when it is safe to do so. (Education Code 234.1)
When appropriate based on the severity or pervasiveness of the bullying, the Superintendent or designee shall notify the parents/guardians of victims and perpetrators and may contact law enforcement.
The Superintendent, principal, or principal's designee may refer a victim, witness, perpetrator, or other student affected by an act of bullying to a school counselor, school psychologist, social worker, child welfare attendance personnel, school nurse, or other school support service personnel for case management, counseling, and/or participation in a restorative justice program, as appropriate. (Education Code 48900.9)
(cf. 6164.2 - Guidance/Counseling Services
Complaints and Investigation
Any complaint of bullying, whether it is discriminatory or nondiscriminatory, shall be investigated and resolved in accordance with law and the district's uniform complaint procedures specified in AR 1312.3 - Uniform Complaint Procedures.
(cf. 1312.3 - Uniform Complaint Procedures)
Any student, parent/guardian, or other individual who believes that a student has been subjected to bullying or who has witnessed bullying may report the incident to a teacher, the principal, a compliance officer, or any other available school employee. Within one business day of receiving such a report, a staff member shall notify the principal of the report, whether or not a uniform complaint is filed. Within two business days of receiving a report of bullying, the principal shall notify a district compliance officer identified in AR 1312.3. In addition, any school employee who observes an incident of bullying involving a student shall, within one business day, report his/her observation to the principal or a district compliance officer, whether or not the alleged victim files a complaint.
When the circumstances involve cyberbullying, individuals with information about the activity shall be encouraged to save and print any electronic or digital messages that they feel constitute cyberbullying and to notify a teacher, the principal, or other employee so that the matter may be investigated. When a student uses a social networking site or service to bully or harass another student, the Superintendent or designee may file a request with the networking site or service to suspend the privileges of the student and to have the material removed.
When a report of bullying is submitted, the principal or a district compliance officer shall inform the student or parent/guardian of the right to file a formal written complaint in accordance with AR 1312.3. The student who is the alleged victim of the bullying shall be given an opportunity to describe the incident, identify witnesses who may have relevant information, and provide other evidence of bullying.
Discipline
Corrective actions for a student who commits an act of bullying of any type may include without limitation counseling, behavioral intervention and education. A student shall be subject to discipline, which may include suspension or expulsion, in accordance with district policies and regulations, and Education Code 48900, 48900.2, 48900.3 48900.4, where the student:
1. engages in bullying while on school grounds, while going to or coming from school, during the lunch period whether on or off campus, or during, or while going to or coming from, a school sponsored activity
2. engages in bullying, on or off campus, in a manner that causes or is likely to cause a substantial disruption of a school activity or school attendance
3. engages in bullying using harassment, threats, or intimidation in a manner that is sufficiently severe or pervasive to have the actual and reasonably expected effect of materially disrupting classwork, creating substantial disorder, and invading the rights of school personnel or students by creating an intimidating or hostile educational environment.
(cf. 5138 - Conflict Resolution/Peer Mediation)
(cf. 5144 - Discipline)
(cf. 5144.1 - Suspension and Expulsion/Due Process)
(cf. 5144.2 - Suspension and Expulsion/Due Process (Students with Disabilities))
(cf. 6159.4 - Behavioral Interventions for Special Education Students)
Any employee who permits or engages in bullying or retaliation related to bullying shall be subject to disciplinary action, up to and including dismissal.
(cf. 4117.3 - Dismissal)
(cf. 4118 - Suspension/Disciplinary Action)
(cf. 4119.21/4219.21/4319.21 - Professional Standards)
(cf. 4218 - Dismissal/Suspension/Disciplinary Action)
Legal Reference:
EDUCATION CODE
200-262.4 Prohibition of discrimination
32282 Comprehensive safety plan
32283.5 Bullying; online training
35181 Governing board policy on responsibilities of students
48900-48925 Suspension or expulsion
48985 Translation of notices
52060-52077 Local control and accountability plan
PENAL CODE
422.55 Definition of hate crime
647 Use of camera or other instrument to invade person's privacy; misdemeanor
647.7 Use of camera or other instrument to invade person's privacy; punishment
653.2 Electronic communication devices, threats to safety
CODE OF REGULATIONS, TITLE 5
4600-4687 Uniform complaint procedures
UNITED STATES CODE, TITLE 47
254 Universal service discounts (e-rate)
CODE OF FEDERAL REGULATIONS, TITLE 28
35.107 Nondiscrimination on basis of disability; complaints
CODE OF FEDERAL REGULATIONS, TITLE 34
104.7 Designation of responsible employee for Section 504
106.8 Designation of responsible employee for Title IX
110.25 Notification of nondiscrimination on the basis of age
COURT DECISIONS
Wynar v. Douglas County School District, (2013) 728 F.3d 1062
J.C. v. Beverly Hills Unified School District, (2010) 711 F.Supp.2d 1094
Lavine v. Blaine School District, (2002) 279 F.3d 719
Management Resources:
CSBA PUBLICATIONS
Final Guidance: AB 1266, Transgender and Gender Nonconforming Students, Privacy, Programs, Activities & Facilities, Legal Guidance, March 2014
Providing a Safe, Nondiscriminatory School Environment for Transgender and Gender-Nonconforming Students, Policy Brief, February 2014Addressing the Conditions of Children: Focus on Bullying, Governance Brief, December 2012
Safe Schools: Strategies for Governing Boards to Ensure Student Success, 2011
Building Healthy Communities: A School Leaders Guide to Collaboration and Community Engagement, 2009
Cyberbullying: Policy Considerations for Boards, Policy Brief, July 2007
CALIFORNIA DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION PUBLICATIONS
Health Education Content Standards for California Public Schools: Kindergarten Through Grade Twelve, 2008
Bullying at School, 2003
U.S. DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION, OFFICE FOR CIVIL RIGHTS PUBLICATIONS
Dear Colleague Letter: Bullying of Students with Disabilities, August 2013
Dear Colleague Letter: Harassment and Bullying, October 2010
WEB SITES
CSBA: http://www.csba.org
California Department of Education, Safe Schools Office: http://www.cde.ca.gov/ls/ss
Common Sense Media: http://www.commonsensemedia.org
National School Safety Center: http://www.schoolsafety.us
ON[the]LINE, digital citizenship resources: http://www.onthelineca.org
U.S. Department of Education: http://www.ed.gov
Policy SAN CARLOS ELEMENTARY SCHOOL DISTRICT
adopted: June 25, 2015 San Carlos, California