Report Bullying Information
Fox River Grove School District maintains a firm policy prohibiting all forms of bullying. Everyone is to be treated with respect and dignity.
Bullying can be stopped!
Bullying occurs when someone acts aggressively towards your child in order to gain power over him or her. Bullying is a deliberate attempt to make your child feel uncomfortable or unhappy. To help your school be a safe and happy place for your child, it's important that you work with us to solve any bullying problem. Bullies can be anywhere; at school, at work, even neighbors. It is important that your child learns to deal with bullies.
Fox River Grove School District has zero tolerance for bullying in school, but if we don't know about it, we can't solve it.
BULLYING CAN BE...
Giving nasty looks
Making rude gestures
Calling names
Being rude and impolite
Spreading stories and rumors
Teasing
Keeping someone out of a group
Acting in an unpleasant way near someone
Hurting someone physically
Harassment
Cyber-Bullying
Any form of discrimination based on disability, gender, race or religion.
YOUR CHILD MAY BE BEING BULLIED IF HE/SHE...
Suddenly does not want to go to school
Has bruises but won't talk about them
Suddenly unable to sleep
Becomes moody
Frequently feels sick with vague symptoms
WHAT YOU CAN DO TO HELP...
Assure your child that the problem can be solved
Let the school know that your child is being bullied
Communicate and co-operate with the school until the problem is solved
Explain to your child that bullies are usually people with a problem themselves and use bullying others as a way to make themselves feel good
Bullies are often victims themselves
Bullies often have poor social skills and do not know how to behave towards others in a positive way
Explain that bullies know that what they are doing is wrong and the reason that they pressure their victims not to tell is because they are afraid
Develop your child's sense of humour and tolerance of others
Positively reinforce your child's self esteem and sense of self worth
Develop your child's social skills by teaching him or her to share and to co-operate with others in group situations
Encourage Self-Advocacy
NO ONE HAS THE RIGHT TO BULLY ANYONE ELSE...
Children who are bullied feel frightened and powerless. They sometimes blame themselves. Being bullied can seriously harm self-esteem and prevent successful learning. It is important that the victim take the appropriate action to stop the bullying. Ignoring the bullying behavior is only a short-term strategy. If the bullying continues more than a few days some other action needs to be taken. Avoiding the situation by going to another school may not solve the problem as there are bullies everywhere. Responding to bullying by retaliation or with violence rarely solves the problem and often gets the victim in more trouble with other students and with the school discipline code. The school cannot tolerate violence no matter what the reason. The most appropriate action is to tell someone at the school and work with the school staff to solve the problem.
IF YOUR CHILD IS BEING BULLIED
Tell your child that...
It is not his or her fault
He or she has the right to feel safe and happy
He or she has the right not to be bullied
It is all right to walk away
It can be stopped
It is all right to tell the school staff
By acting on the bullying you are also protecting other students from the bully
WHAT WILL THE SCHOOL DO IF SCHOOL BULLYING IS REPORTED?
Assure him/her that the problem can be solved and then provide ongoing support
Investigate the problems raised
Treat everyone involved with fairness
Take action that is appropriate to the particular circumstances - this may be:
- Mediation
- Disciplinary action
- Warnings
- Counselling
- Parental involvement
What is Discrimination?
Discrimination is the unfavorable treatment of someone based on prejudice.
The following characteristics, in general, are protected from discrimination:Age
Race/Color
Religion/Creed
Sex
Sexual Orientation
Physical/Mental Disability
Irrational Fear of Contracting an Illness or Disease
Ethnic, National, or Aboriginal Origin
Family Status/Marital Status
Sources of Income
Political Belief, Affiliation or Activity
What is Harassment?
Harassment is a form of discrimination. It is any behavior that is directed at and is offensive to an individual, or group based on that individual's or group's race, or culture, or ethnic, national or aboriginal origin etc. Such behavior may be verbal, physical, deliberate, or unsolicited. It may be one incident or a series of incidents.
What is Sexual Harassment?
Sexual Harassment is any...
Objectionable, coercive, or irritating comment, communication, action, or attention of a sexual nature that is directed to a person or persons by someone who knows, or ought reasonably to know, that such as welcome.
Action or communication with a sexual connotation or component that creates an intimidating, demeaning, or offensive work or school environment, even if they are directed to no person in particular.
Sexual harassment includes, but is not limited to...
Staring or leering
Unwelcome invitations of a sexual nature
Inappropriate or unwelcome touching or physical contact
Suggestive remarks and sexual jokes
Bullying Resources
Our district is dedicated to the social-emotional development and safety of all children. This includes the prevention of bullying in our school buildings. Bullying is not a "harmless rite of passage". It can have serious effects on individual victims and the general climate of our schools. Children who are bullied need clear messages of support from adults. Children who engage in bullying need help taking responsibility for their behavior. Prevention efforts include social-emotional curricula, staff training, explicit school-wide behavioral expectations, parent-teacher collaboration, and individual student support.
While our buildings are healthy, safe environments for children to learn and grow, bullying behavior can still be present on occasion. Students are encouraged to seek the assistance of teachers and the building principal whenever necessary. In addition, we offer this online reporting form to provide all students with an opportunity to safely report bullying behavior.
http://www.stopbullyingnow.com
BULLYING DEFINITION & KEY TERMS...
Bullying behavior is when one or more students employ physical, emotional, or verbal abuse to make life miserable for another student. The abuse can take many forms from simple name calling to physical abuse to sexual harassment. Bullying behavior is defined by its intensity and duration and is distinguished by a pattern of repeated physical or psychological intimidation.
The position of victim is characterized as the object of bullying behavior. Usually, the victim has done nothing deliberate to invite such negative attention. In extreme instances, a victim can exhibit bullying behaviors.
Bystander behavior is typified by someone who "stands by" while bullying is taking place. Bystanders do not actively participate, but they are rarely neutral. Passive observing reaffirms the bullys power. On the other hand, bystanders have the greatest potential to turn the situation around.
AFTER A REPORT IS MADE...
1. The reporting student(s) will be interviewed by the building principal.
2. The offending student(s) will be interviewed and the extent of their involvement will be determined.
3. If determined to be school related bullying, parents will be contacted and the offending student(s) will be assigned a school consequence consistent with the intensity and duration of the bullying behavior.