Bullying

Prevention of and Response to Bullying, Intimidation and Harassment

Bullying, intimidation and harassment diminish a student’s ability to learn, as well as a school’s ability to educate. Preventing students from engaging in these disruptive behaviors and providing all students equal access to a safe, non-hostile learning environment are important school goals

Prohibited Conduct

Bullying on the basis of actual or perceived race, color, national origin, military status, unfavorable discharge status from the military service, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender-related identity or expression, ancestry, age, religion, physical or mental disability, order of protection status, status of being homeless, or actual or potential marital or parental status (including pregnancy); association with a person or group with one or more of the aforementioned actual or perceived characteristics; or any other distinguishing characteristic is prohibited in each of the following situations:

During any school-sponsored education program or activity;
While in school, on school property, on school buses or other school vehicles, at designated school bus stops waiting for the school bus, or at school-sponsored or school-sanctioned events or activities;
Through the transmission of information from a school computer, a school computer network, or other similar electronic school equipment; or
Through the transmission of information from a computer that is accessed at a non-school location, activity, function or program; or from the use of technology or an electronic device that is not owned, leased or used by the school district or school if the bullying causes a substantial disruption to the educational process or orderly operation of a school.

Bullying Defined

Bullying includes cyberbullying (defined below) and means any severe or pervasive physical or verbal act or conduct, including communications made in writing or electronically, directed toward a student or students that has or can be reasonably predicted to have the effect of one or more of the following:

Placing the student or students in reasonable fear of harm to the student’s or students’ person or property;
Causing a substantially detrimental effect on the student’s or students’ physical or mental health;
Substantially interfering with the student’s or students’ academic performance; or
Substantially interfering with the student’s or students’ ability to participate in or benefit from the services, activities or privileges provided by a school.

Examples of prohibited conduct include name-calling, using derogatory slurs, stalking, sexual violence, causing psychological harm, threatening or causing physical harm, threatened or actual destruction of property, or wearing or possessing items depicting or implying hatred or prejudice of one of the characteristics stated above.

CYBERBULLYING
Cyberbullying means bullying through the use of technology or any electronic communication, including without limitation any transfer of signs, signals, writing, images, sounds, data, or intelligence of any nature transmitted in whole or in part by a wire, radio, electromagnetic system, photo-electronic system, or photo-optical system, including without limitation electronic mail, Internet communications, instant messages, or facsimile communications.

Cyberbullying includes the creation of a webpage or weblog in which the creator assumes the identity of another person or the knowing impersonation of another person as the author or posted content or messages if the creation or impersonation creates any of the effects enumerated in the definition of bullying. Cyberbullying also includes the distribution by electronic means of a communication to more than one person or the posting of material on an electronic medium that may be accessed by one or more persons if the distribution or posting creates any of the effects enumerated in the definition of bullying.

Reporting a Bullying Incident

Students are encouraged to report bullying immediately. A report may be made orally or in writing to a member of the Student Services Department or any staff member with whom the student is comfortable speaking. Anyone, including staff members and parents/guardians, who has information about actual or threatened bullying is encouraged to report such conduct.

Reports can be made in person to a member of the Student Services Department (directory below); anonymously via phone at (630) 243-3219; anonymously by clicking on the button below to submit a reporting form electronically; or anonymously by downloading and returning a reporting form to the Dean’s Office.

Report a Bullying Incident

A reprisal or retaliation against any person who reports an act of bullying is prohibited. A student’s act of reprisal or retaliation will be treated as bullying for purposes of determining any consequences or other appropriate remedial actions.

A student will not be punished for reporting bullying or supplying information, even if the school’s investigation concludes that no bullying occurred. However, knowingly making a false accusation or providing knowingly false information will be treated as bullying for purposes of determining any consequences or other appropriate remedial actions.