Bullying Prevention
BULLYING PREVENTION
TO ANNONYMOUSLY REPORT A BULLYING INCIDENT, PLEASE CALL 765-883-5576 EXT. 8477
The School Board is committed to providing a safe, positive, productive, and nurturing educational environment for all of its students. The Board encourages the promotion of positive interpersonal relations between members of the school community. Bullying behavior toward a student, whether by other students, staff, or third parties, is strictly prohibited and shall not be tolerated. At all times, the safety of the victim of bullying shall be a priority. This prohibition includes physical, verbal, and psychological abuse as provided herein. The Board shall not tolerate any gestures, comments, threats, or actions which cause or threaten to cause bodily harm or personal degradation. Engaging in "cyberbullying," which is bullying that occurs through the use of data or computer software that is accessed through a computer, computer system, computer network, or cellular telephone or other wireless or cellular communications device also is prohibited. This policy applies when a student is on school grounds immediately before or during school hours, immediately after school hours, or at any other time when the school is being used by a school group; off school grounds at a school activity, function, or event; traveling to or from school or a school activity, function, or event; or, using property or equipment provided by the school. Additionally, this policy applies regardless of the physical location when:
-
the individual committing the bullying behavior and any of the intended targets of the bullying behavior are students attending a school within the School Corporation; and
-
the bullying behavior results in a substantial interference with school discipline or an unreasonable threat to the rights of others to a safe and peaceful learning environment.
Bullying as defined in State law means overt, unwanted, repeated acts or gestures, including verbal or written communications or images transmitted in any manner (including digitally or electronically), physical acts committed, aggression, or any other behaviors committed by a student or group of students against another student with the intent to harass, ridicule, humiliate, intimidate, or harm the other student and create for the targeted student an objectively hostile school environment that:
-
places the targeted student in reasonable fear of harm to the targeted student's person or property;
-
has a substantially detrimental effect on the targeted student's physical or mental health;
-
has the effect of substantially interfering with the targeted student's academic performance; or
-
has the effect of substantially interfering with the targeted student's ability to participate in or benefit from the services, activities, and privileges provided by the school.