What is bullying?

Bullying is defined as any repeated behavior (words, looks, actions, and violence toward another) involving an imbalance of power (bossing) that makes the other person feel uncomfortable or scared. It often manifests itself through excluding or whispering about others. Bullying will not be tolerated and should be reported to the teacher. Tattling is meant to get someone in trouble, while telling helps get someone out of trouble. Telling and reporting are brave and helpful acts.

Physical Bullying:
A student uses physical force to hurt another student by hitting, pushing, shoving, kicking, pinching or holding them down, etc. Physical bullying also includes taking or breaking a students belongings or stealing. http://www.values.com/inspirational-stories-tv-spots/72Locker

Verbal Bullying
When a student uses words to hurt another student. This includes threatening, taunting, intimidating, insulting, sarcasm, name-calling, teasing, slurs, graffiti, put-downs and ridicule. It also includes hostile gestures such as making faces, staring, giving the evil eye, eye rolling, spitting, etc.

Relational Bullying
When students disrupt another students peer relationships through leaving them out, gossiping, whispering and spreading rumors. It includes when students turn their back on another student, giving them the silent treatment, ostracizing we dont like her/him so you cant either, scapegoating (blaming others for your responding action), etc. http://www.values.com/inspirational-stories-tv-spots/66Cafeteria

Cyberbullying
Refers to the use of cell-phones, text messages, e-mails, instant messaging, chats, blogs and social networking sites to bully another student in any of the previously described slides. Examples of cyberbullying are sending threatening or insulting texts, posting untrue information or personal pictures about another student on social networking sites such as MySpace or Facebook, using another students email or IM name to send messages that make the student look bad, creating a web page devoted to putting down another student, forwarding a text or email that was meant for your eyes only, etc. Cyberbullying is on the rise and is as serious a problem in many schools as verbal and relational bullying.

When Bullying is Also Harassment

Bullying is part of a continuum of aggression and violence, and at times may amount to harassment. Harassment occurs when a student is the target of threatening, disturbing or unwelcome behaviors because of a legally protected characteristic, such as disability, actual or perceived sexual orientation, gender or race. Sexual Harassment occurs when a student is asked for sexual favors or is the target of unwelcome sexual behavior or discussion which makes a student feel uncomfortable, scared or confused and which interferes with their schoolwork or ability to participate in school activities or attend classes.

What Do I Do if I See Bullying Going On?

You, the victim or an adult must tell the bully to stop. If the bully continues the behavior you must report it!!!!!!!!! If you are a bystander and see something going on that is clearly wrong and you dont report it you are responsible!
This is a law that you will have to follow throughout the rest of your life!

At school, you can report bullying by telling a teacher or administrator privately, or writing down what happened and put it in the counselor envelope.

The Issue
We are supportive of highlighting positive behavior but there are consequences for unacceptable behavior at school and in the real world.

We Must Teach!
We are not loving you if we do not teach you the life lesson that there are consequences for your actions.

th 6

Grade Bullying/Harassment Policy

1st Offense
Office Discipline Referral Spend 3 recesses in the office
Watch 3 Bullying Webisodes
http://www.stopbullying.gov/kids/webisodes/index.html

Complete 3 Bullying Webisodes Quizzes Complete No Bullying at Our School Worksheet Write an apology letter to the victim
You will give it to Mrs. Betts or Mrs. Bagley They will give it to the teacher of the victim The teacher will read the apology letter to the victim

2nd Offense
Parent contacted by an Mrs. Betts or Mrs. Bagley Sign a No Contact Contract 1 day of in-school suspension
During suspension must read 3 bullying books and complete a reflection paper about what you learned from the books in comparison to what your actions were.

You will spend the day in a classroom 2 grades above or below the grade youre in.
No recess for 3 days. Youll come to the office. Youll write an apology letter. You will not participate in special activities during that week (assemblies, field trips, class parties, etc.)
Youll spend your time in the office

3rd Offense
Parent is contacted by Mrs. Betts or Mrs. Bagley Three days of in-school suspension Intervention with counselor Write an apology letter

This policy is approved by:

6th grade team
Carrie Follett Becca Klein Julie Miner Catherine Pomeroy

Administration
Kathleen Bagley Joan Betts Linda Flynn

Bullying: The role of the bystander.

What is bullying?

 Bullying is intentional (not an accident) a bully hurts someone on purpose. Bullying is repetitive. This means that the bully hurts someone over and over again, it isnt an incident that happens only once. In general, bullying is where one person acts like they have more power than another, and does whatever they can to hurt that person.

Different forms of bullying.

Physical: e.g. kicking, hitting and damaging their belongings. Verbal: e.g. name calling, taunting, threats and making offensive remarks. Indirect: e.g. spreading nasty stories about someone, gossiping and excluding people from social groups like games. Cyber: sending nasty emails, texts or making nasty phone calls.

What is a bystander?
A

witness

Would you support the bullied person?

What would make you decide not to help?
In pairs, write down when you would and when you wouldnt help.

What could you do?

Look at the statements you have been given. Order these statements in order of what you think you would be most likely to do to those you think you definitely wouldnt.

Think about your school. Where are there areas that you have seen bullying happen or you think are places bullies could operate without being seen. School councillors could write these down. What do you think the school could do to prevent this happening in these places?

Did you know?

Bullying will stop in under 10 seconds when peers (other children) intervene nearly 60% of the time. 85% of bullying takes place with bystanders present. In playground observations, peers intervened and stopped bullying in more instances than adults did.

Slogans to add to posters or poems.

Get help, do not look on, do something! Dont just stand there, do something! Say no to bullying!