Anti-Bullying Policy

Believing that a safe and civil school environment is necessary for students, Bishop Kearney prohibits any and all acts of harassment or bullying. Bishop Kearney Harassment or bullying, like other disruptive or violent behaviors, is conduct that disrupts both a student’s ability to learn and a school’s ability to educate its students in a safe environment. Demonstration of appropriate behavior, treating others with civility and respect, and refusing to tolerate harassment or bullying is expected of all members of the Kearney community. Because Bishop Kearney cannot monitor nor be held responsible for the actions of students that occur outside the realm of the normal school day, it is the expectation of Bishop Kearney that parents will act as partners in ensuring their children’s well being.

"Harassment or bullying" is any gesture or written, verbal, graphic, or physical act (including electronically transmitted acts – i.e. internet, cell phone, personal digital assistant(pda), or wireless hand held device) that is reasonably perceived as being motivated either by any actual or perceived characteristic, such as race, color, religion, ancestry, national origin, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity and expression; or a mental, physical, or sensory disability or impairment; or by any other distinguishing characteristic.

 

“Harassment” or “Bullying” is conduct that meets the following criteria:

• is directed at one or more pupils;

• substantially interferes with educational opportunities, benefits, or programs of one or more pupils;

• adversely affects the ability of a pupil to participate in or benefit from the school district’s educational programs or activities because the conduct, as reasonably perceived by the pupil, is so severe, pervasive, and objectively offensive as to have this effect; and,

• is based on a pupil’s actual or perceived distinguishing characteristic (see above), or is based on an association with another person who has or is perceived to have any of these characteristics.

 

Bishop Kearney expects students to conduct themselves in a manner in keeping with their levels of development, maturity, and demonstrated capabilities with a proper regard for the rights and welfare of other students, school staff, volunteers.

Consequences and appropriate remedial actions for a student who commits one or more acts of harassment or bullying may range from positive behavioral interventions up to and including suspension or expulsion. Consequences for a student who commits an act of harassment or bullying shall be unique to the individual incident and will vary in method and severity according to the nature of the behavior. Remedial measures shall be designed to: correct the problem behavior; prevent another occurrence of the behavior; and protect the victim of the act.

The consequences and remedial measures may include, but are not limited to, the examples listed below:

 

Examples of Consequences

• Admonishment

• Temporary removal from the classroom

• Loss of privileges

• Classroom or administrative detention

• Referral to disciplinarian

• In-school suspension during the school week or the weekend, for students

• Out-of-school suspension

• Expulsion or termination

 

Bishop Kearney prohibits reprisal or retaliation against any person who reports an act of harassment or bullying. The consequences and appropriate remedial action for a person who engages in reprisal or retaliation shall be determined by the administrator after consideration of the nature, severity, and circumstances of the act.

Bishop Kearney prohibits any person from falsely accusing another as a means of harassment or bullying. The consequences and appropriate remedial action for a person found to have falsely accused another as a means of harassment or bullying may range from positive behavioral interventions up to and including suspension or expulsion.

 

 

Adopted 2011