Greater Egg Harbor Regional Board of Education
5512.01 Harassment, Intimidation, and Bullying
Policy Statement
The Board of Education prohibits acts of harassment, intimidation, or bullying. A safe and civil environment in school is necessary for pupils to learn and achieve high academic standards. Harassment, intimidation or bullying, like other disruptive or violent behaviors, is conduct that disrupts both a pupil’s ability to learn and a school’s ability to educate its pupil in a safe environment. School administrators, faculty, staff and volunteers should demonstrate appropriate behavior, treating other with civilly and respect and refusing to tolerate harassment, intimidation, or bullying.
Definition
“Harassment, intimidation, or bullying” means any gesture, written, verbal, or physical act that takes place on school property at any school-sponsored function or on a school bus and that:
1. Is motivated by any actual or perceived characteristic, such as race, religion, ancestry, national origin, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity and expression, or a mental, physical, or sensory disability, or
2. By any other distinguishing characteristics: and
3. A reasonable person should know, under circumstance, that the act will have the effect of harming a pupil or damaging the pupil’s property, placing a pupil in reasonable fear of harm to his/her person or damage to his/her property: or
4. Has the effect of insulting or demeaning any pupil or group of pupils in such a way as to cause substantial disruption in, or substantial interference wit, the orderly operation of the school.
Expected Behavior
The Board expects pupils to conduct themselves in keeping with
their levels of development, maturity, and demonstrated capabilities
with a proper regards for the rights and welfare of other pupils and
school staff, the educational purpose underlying all school activities,
and the cared of school facilities and equipment.
The Board believes that standards for pupil behavior must be set cooperatively
through interaction among the pupils, parents, legal guardians, staff
and community members, producing an atmosphere and encourages pupils
to grow in self-discipline. The development in this atmosphere requires
respect for self and others, as well as for the school district and
community property on the part of the pupils, staff, and community members.
General guidelines for pupil conduct will be developed by the District Administration in conjunction with the High School Administration and approved by the Board. These guidelines will be developed based on accepted core ethnical values from board community involvement. These guidelines will be suited to the age level of the pupils and the mission and physical facilities of the individual schools with the district. The Policy requires all pupils in the district to adhere to these rules and guidelines and to submit to such disciplinary measures as are appropriately assigned for the infractions of these rules and guidelines.