Revised bullying policy from Board of Education

[Betsy Voinovich]

Hi all---

Here's the updated bullying policy. A lot of it has to do with texting and computers. It's a lot to keep up with.

This is addition to the policy that is already in place.

Betsy Voinovich


Lakewood City Schools' Bullying Policy

The Lakewood Board of Education recently revised its bullying policy to be in accordance with changes in state law. Part of the law requires that families are notified each year of the distric't policy on bullying. The following is a summary of that policy:

Lakewood City Schools has recently adopted policy and guidelines to comply with the Jessica Logan Act. This policy includes cyber bullying as a serious offense for which students may be suspended. Definitions in this policy are as such:

Harassment, intimidation, or bullying means:

1. Any intentional written, verbal, graphic, or physical act that a student or group of students exhibits toward another particular student(s) more than once and the behavior both causes mental or physical harm to the other student(s) and is sufficiently severe, persistent, or pervasive that it creates an intimidating, threatening, or abusive educational environment for the other student(s); or

2. Violence within a dating relationship.

"Electronic act" means an act committed through the use of a cellular telephone, computer, pager, personal communication device, or other electronic communication device.

Aggressive behavior is defined as inappropriate conduct that is repeated enough, or serious enough, to negatively impact a student's educational, physical, or emotional well-being. It includes, but is not limited, to such behaviors as stalking, bullying/cyber bullying, intimidating, menacing, coercion, name calling, taunting, making threats, and hazing. Harassment, intimidation, or bullying also includes cyber bullying or electronically transmitted acts (i.e., Internet, e-mail, cellular telephone, personal digital assistance (PDA), or wireless hand-held device).

Any student or student's parent/guardian who believes s/he has been or is the victim of harassment, intimidation, bullying or aggressive behavior should immediately report the situation to the building principal or assistant principal.

In summary, this policy prohibits bullying in school areas including a school bus. It prohibits retaliation and false reporting and also allows for anonymous reporting of bullying. If the school discovers that your child has been bullied the school will contact you and provide you with information related to this situation.

We have programming and training in place for both students and staff regarding the prevention of bullying including Rachel's Challenge, Friends of Rachel and an evening community conversation focused upon Rachel's Challenge. We provided a showing of the movie Bully, which was followed up with an evening community conversation. At numerous buildings we have School Wide Positive Behavior Supports and at the elementary level our teachers deliver monthly lessons from a research-based program to prevent bullying and cyber bullying developed by the Massachusetts Aggression Reduction Center. Garfield Middle School is also utilizing the research- based Second Step Program as well as Campus Impact. We believe that our students have the right to attend school in an environment that is safe and free of bullying.