Q: What is bullying?
A: Bullying is any aggressive and unwanted behavior that is intended to harm, intimidate, or humiliate the victim; involves a real or perceived power imbalance between the aggressor or aggressors and victim; and is repeated over time or causes severe emotional trauma. Bullying includes cyberbullying. Bullying does not include ordinary teasing, horseplay, argument, or peer conflict.
Q: What is ordinary teasing, horseplay, argument, or peer conflict?
A: Ordinary teasing, horseplay, argument, or peer conflict are behaviors that fall outside the definition of bullying. Ordinary teasing refers to playful or light-hearted remarks between peers. Similarly, horseplay involves playful physical activity, often without malicious intent. Argument refers to disagreements or verbal disputes, which can occur naturally among individuals. Lastly, peer conflict arises when peers have disagreements or clashes but do not engage in harmful behavior toward each other. In summary, while bullying involves harmful intent and repetition, ordinary teasing, horseplay, argument, and peer conflict do not fall under the category of bullying.
Q: What is cyberbullying?
A: Cyberbullying is a form of bullying that involves sending, receiving, or displaying electronic messages and/or images. Cyberbullying can include any threats by one student toward another, typically through emails, texts, or websites (e.g., blogs, social media sites). Electronic communications that support deliberate, hostile, and hurtful messages intended to harm others are also examples of cyberbullying. Cyberbullying can include such things as sending mean, vulgar, or threatening messages or images, posting sensitive, private information about another person, pretending to be someone else in order to make that person look bad, and using defamatory online personal polling websites.
Cyberbullying using the PWCS internet, PWCS computers, or other wireless communication devices in schools, on school property, or at school-related activities will not be tolerated. Cyberbullying that occurs off school grounds and/or does not involve the use of the PWCS internet or computers may also result in disciplinary action if it causes, or is likely to cause, a material disruption to the operation of the school or the school division, threatens the safety or mental/physical well-being of students or staff or threatens the safety of school buildings or school property.
Q: What behaviors are considered to be bullying behaviors?
A: Some examples of bullying behaviors may include purposely excluding others, taunts, threats, gestures, insults, gossip, humiliation, teasing, cyberbullying, physical aggression, stealing or destroying property, or cursing or laughing at someone. Bullying takes many forms. For example: Sometimes, bullying is people making other people feel left out; other times, bullying may involve hitting, teasing, or threatening to hurt someone. Stealing or damaging someone’s lunch or books could be bullying, too; so is laughing at people because they wear glasses or different kinds of clothes, or because they aren’t good at sports. Using the internet or computers to harm people is another form of bullying.
Q: What if the bully is threatening and intimidating a student? What can school officials do to help keep the students safe?
A: Any student who is being threatened or intimidated (or who is aware that another student is being threatened or intimidated) is strongly encouraged to report the misconduct to a school administrator, counselor, or a trusted school staff member. The allegations will be promptly investigated and reported to the school’s Threat Assessment Team, which, among other things, will take appropriate measures to ensure the safety of students and of the school environment.
Q: How can I report bullying?
A: Any student can report bullying by talking to an administrator or a trusted school staff member or by completing the Bullying Complaint Form. Any school staff member who receives a report of bullying must tell the school administration. Students or parents can report bullying incidents online.
Q: What should I do if the bullying continues?
A: Report this to a school administrator or a trusted school staff member immediately. It is also important to tell your parent(s) that the bullying is continuing. Administrators will take disciplinary action if the student accused of bullying attempts to get back at the victim for reporting the bullying behavior.
PWCS Regulation 733-1, “Bullying of Students,” provides detailed information about PWCS’ rules concerning and response to bullying.