BULLYING

District Policy

The Camas School District and Liberty Middle School are committed to the quality education of your child. Harassment, Intimidation, and Bullying (HIB) have no place in their daily experiences. All of us have a stake in this and your assistance will ensure that our community continues to be a place where we are all safe. If you have a concern about Harassment, Intimidation, or Bullying at Liberty Middle School or you suspect that your student is a victim of HIB please contact Gary Moller, Principal of Liberty, to discuss your concerns. You may complete (or may be asked to complete) the Camas School District Alleged HIB Incident Report Form prior to meeting with the administration of your child’s school.

Things that you can do now for your children are important for prevention and self advocacy. First of all, encourage your child to talk about their day at school. If you suspect that your child is under stress from peers, encourage them to talk about it. Research supports that children are often reluctant to talk about bullying because they fear that adults will not believe them. Assure them that their school has procedures in place to help end this stressful experience and that they can report what is happening to a counselor, teacher or principal they most trust. All of the staff know and understand that there are steps in place to investigate and ultimately resolve these situations. For more information on what you can do to assist your child and increase your knowledge on this topic can be found in the resources section below.

Our District HIB Compliance Officer is Dr. Williams, Assistant Superintendent, at charlene.williams@camas.wednet.edu or 360-335-3000.

Camas School District HIB Policies

Camas School District HIB Procedures

Definitions

According to the Office of the Superintendent of Public Instruction (OSPI), Washington State defines harassment, intimidation, or bullying (HIB) as, "any intentionally written message or image—including those that are electronically transmitted—verbal, or physical act, including but not limited to one shown to be motivated by race, color, religion, ancestry, national origin, gender, sexual orientation, including gender expression or identity, mental or physical disability or other distinguishing characteristics, when an act:

Physically harms a student or damages the student’s property or
Has the effect of substantially interfering with a student’s education or
Is so severe, persistent or pervasive that it creates an intimidating or threatening educational environment or
Has the effect of substantially disrupting the orderly operation of the school.

Within that definition:
Bullying – negative actions which are intentional, repeated, negative, show a lack of empathy, and a power imbalance

Other reputable sources define bullying with slightly different wording:

Olweus Bullying Prevention Program: A person is being bullied when he/she is exposed, repeatedly and over time, to negative actions on the part of one or more other persons. Negative action is when a person intentionally inflicts injury or discomfort upon another person, through physical contact, through words or in other ways. Note that bullying is both overt and covert behaviors.

Center for Disease Control defines bullying as any unwanted aggressive behavior(s) by another youth or group of youths who are not siblings or current dating partners that involves an observed or perceived power imbalance and is repeated multiple times or is highly likely to be repeated. Bullying may inflict harm or distress on the targeted youth including physical, psychological, social, or educational harm. A young person can be a perpetrator, a victim, or both (also known as "bully/victim"). Bullying can occur in-person and through technology. Electronic aggression or cyber-bullying is bullying that happens through email, chat rooms, instant message, a website, text message, or social media.

Stopbullying.gov: Bullying is unwanted, aggressive behavior among school aged children that involves a real or perceived power imbalance. The behavior is repeated, or has the potential to be repeated, over time. Both kids who are bullied and who bully others may have serious, lasting problems.

In order to be considered bullying, the behavior must be aggressive and include:

An Imbalance of Power: Kids who bully use their power—such as physical strength, access to embarrassing information, or popularity—to control or harm others. Power imbalances can change over time and in different situations, even if they involve the same people
Repetition: Bullying behaviors happen more than once or have the potential to happen more than once.

Bullying includes actions such as making threats, spreading rumors, attacking someone physically or verbally, and excluding someone from a group on purpose.

Intimidation - implied or overt threats of physical violence - WAC 495A-121-011

Harassment - any malicious act, which causes harm to any person's physical or mental well being – WAC 495A121-011

Discriminatory harassment does not have to include intent to harm, be directed at a specific target, or involve repeated incidents. Equity Book: p.32
Malicious harassment – threat to harm (often based on protected category)
Sexual harassment - unwelcome sexual advances, requests for sexual favors and other verbal or physical conduct directed at person because of his/her sex where:
(a) Submission to such conduct is made either explicitly or implicitly a term or condition of an individual's academic standing or employment; or
(b) Submission to or rejection of such conduct by an individual is used as the basis for academic decisions or employment affecting such individual; or
(c) Such conduct has the purpose or effect of unreasonably interfering with an individual's work or academic performance or creating an intimidating, hostile, or offensive working or learning environment. WAC 495A-121-011