Bullying Prevention

Bullying is an unwanted, aggressive behavior that hurts, harms, or humiliates someone physically or emotionally. Students who are the targets of bullying behavior and those who exhibit bullying behavior toward others may suffer serious, lasting consequences.

In order to be considered bullying, the behavior must include––

• Deliberate Act: To cause emotional or physical harm to another individual.
• Imbalance of Power: Those 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 vary in different situations, even if they involve the same people.
• Repetition: Bullying behaviors that display more than one time or have the potential to happen more than once.

Report Bullying

If you believe a child is being bullied:

1. Report the suspected bullying to any school employee either verbally or through the STOPiT! App*.
2. Complaints of bullying will be investigated and resolved in accordance with the district's uniform complaint procedures specified in AR 1312.3.
3. In order to better investigate an incident of bullying a parent or student may be asked to fill out this Bullying Incident Form (English) Bullying Incident Form (Spanish)
4. When a student is reported to be engaging in bullying off-campus, we will investigate and document the activity and identify specific facts or circumstances that explain the impact or potential impact on school activity, school attendance, or the targeted student's educational performance.
5. When the circumstances involve cyberbullying, individuals are encouraged to save and print any electronic or digital messages that they feel constitutes cyber-bullying and to report it to a teacher, school administrator so that the matter can be investigated.

A Note on Cyberbullying

Cyberbullying can involve all three types of bullying and takes place with electronic communications or digital devices such as cell phones, tablets, or computers. It commonly occurs on social media like text, email, social media, and games. Cyberbullying is harder to recognize since educators and parents may not overhear or see it taking place. Similar to acts of bullying, students may be cautious to report cyberbullying due to embarrassment.

Examples:

• Demeaning or hateful text messages or emails.
• Rumors sent by email or posted on social networking sites.
• Embarrassing pictures, videos, website, or fake profiles posted online.

Why is Cyberbullying different than the other types of bullying?

Students who are being cyber-bullied are often bullied in person, as well. Additionally, students who are cyber-bullied have a more difficult time escaping the negative behavior.

• Cyberbullying can occur 24 hours a day, 7 days a week and reach a student when he or she is alone and/or when in their own home.
• Cyberbullying messages and images can be posted anonymously and distributed quickly to a very wide audience. It can be difficult and sometimes impossible to trace the source.

Is Cyberbullying a Crime? 

Some types of online or electronic conduct is criminal.

• Identity Theft, Penal Code section 530.5 | The harasser assumes the identity of the victims and creates a social media page or communication that appears to come from the victim. This is also a violation of Penal Code section 529, false personation.
• Unlawful recording, Penal Code section 632 | The harasser records the victim without their knowledge and posts the conversation.
• Cyber exploitation, generally | A list of crimes can be found on a brochure provided by the California Attorney General website.

Laws and Other Resources