Bullying and Harassment Policy
All incidents of bullying or harassing behavior are taken very seriously. The administration will investigate all allegations of bullying and follow the Polk County Code of Student Conduct.
Click Here for the Bully Reporting Form
What is Bullying?
Bullying has been defined as systematically and chronically inflicting physical hurt or psychological distress on one or more students.
Bullying may involve:
- Teasing
- Threat
- Stalking
- Theft
- Public Humiliation
- Social Exclusion
- Intimidation
- Physical Violence
- Social or Racial Harassment
- Destruction of Property
What is Harassment?
Harassment has been defined as threatening, insulting, or dehumanizing gesture, use of data of computer software, or written, verbal, or physical conduct directed against a student or school employee that:
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Places a student or school employee in reasonable fear of harm to his or her person or damage to his or her property.
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Has the effect of substantially interfering with a student’s educational performance, opportunities, or benefits.
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Has the effect of substantially disrupting the orderly operation of a school.
Reporting Bullying or Harassing Behavior:
Students are encouraged to report situations of bullying or harassing behavior. Students, parents, and staff members may report bullying anonymously through the school web site. Bullying may also be reported to the dean’s office by filling out a bullying reporting form obtained from a teacher or the attendance office. Many cases are also reported directly to the deans by e-mail, phone, or in person.
Investigation of Reported Bullying
All incidents of bullying or harassing behavior will be reported to the administration. The information will be investigated in a timely manner by the school administration in the following manner.
- The information reported will be reviewed.
- The victim if the behavior will be interviewed and asked to provide a written statement.
- The parents of the victim will be notified of the reported behavior and the process of the investigation.
- Witnesses of the alleged abuse will be interviewed and asked to provide a written statement.
- The alleged perpetrator will be interviewed and asked to provide a written statement.
- The parents of the alleged perpetrator will be notified of the alleged abuse and the process of the investigation.
- If the alleged abuse involves possible criminal activity the School Resource Deputy will be notified and may join the investigation.
- If the abuse is found to be substantiated and is consistent with the definitions of bullying or harassing behavior, the perpetrator will be disciplined according to the Code of Student Conduct.
- The parents of the perpetrator will be notified of the outcome of the investigation and discipline according to the Code of Student Conduct.
- The parents of the victim will be notified of the outcome of the investigation (not private, confidential information).
- An action plan will be developed for the victim to prevent further abuse in cooperation with parents and other resources.
- The administrator conducting the investigation will complete the necessary documents of bullying investigations and submit to the principal.