• DEFINING BULLYING

    “Bullying” refers to severe, systematic, or repeated actions that involve the threatened, attempted, or actual infliction of physical harm or psychological/emotional distress on one or more students, staff, or other persons. Bullying usually (but not always) involves an actual or a reasonable perception of an imbalance of power between the bully and the victim/target. Bullying occurs when someone purposefully engages in written, spoken, nonverbal, or physical behaviors or communications (including but not limited to actions that threaten, intimidate, insult, degrade, or ostracize) that have the effect of doing any of the following:

    1. Substantially interfering with any student’s education;
    2. Substantially interfering with a person’s ability to participate in or benefit from any school activity or program;
    3. Endangering the health, safety, or property of the target(s) of the behavior; or 
    4. Creating a threatening, intimidating, hostile, or offensive environment within any District school, activity, or program.

    “Cyber-bullying” is defined as bullying that involves the use of digital technologies, including but not limited to, e-mail, cell phones, text messages, instant messages, chat rooms, and social media. Cyber-bullying is prohibited and treated the same as all other types of bullying.

    DEFINING HARASSMENT 

    The term “harassment” means behavior directed towards another person:

    1. which either: (1) is based, in whole or in part, on any legally-protected characteristic or classification, including (with respect to a student victim/target) a student’s race, color, national origin, ancestry, sex, sexual orientation, religion, creed, pregnancy, marital or parental status, or any physical, mental, emotional or learning disability; (2) is based on some other actual or perceived, but irrelevant, distinguishing characteristic, such as (with respect to a student victim/target) a student’s physical appearance, economic status, or social status; or (3) does not serve a legitimate purpose; 

    AND

    1. which either: (1) substantially interferes with a student's school performance, an employee’s ability to do his/her work, or any person’s ability to perform or participate in a District-related function; (2) substantially interferes with a student’s ability to participate in or benefit from any school activity or program; (3) creates an intimidating, hostile or offensive environment within any District school, activity, or program; (4) substantially interferes with or endangers the education, health, safety, or property of the victim/target; (5) causes a substantial disruption to any school-related activity or program; or (6) compromises the District’s ability to operate efficiently and effectively.

    Link to the Siren School Board Bullying and Harassment Policies:

    411.1  Anti-Bullying and Anti-Harassment Policy

    411.1 Reporting and Responding to Bullying and Harassment

    Guidance Counselor/Family Resources:

    Is it Bullying? What is it?

    Bullying Matrix

    If you believe you have been bullied by someone, please fill out this form. 

    Bullying Report Form