Bully-Free Schools

Cranston Public Schools

Bullying Prevention Policy Issued State-wide by RIDE on June 30, 2012

Bullying Statistics

160,000 students miss school every day due to fear of attack or intimidation

20 % of students are scared throughout much of the school day

22% of students in grades 4 – 8 and 14% of students in grades 8 -12 report that “bullying diminished their ability to learn in school”

More Disturbing Statistics

– 10% of dropouts do so because of repeated bullying

– 60% of students characterized as bullies in grades 6 – 9 will have a criminal conviction by age 24

– Roughly two-thirds of school shooters had “felt persecuted, bullied, threatened, attacked, or injured by others”

RI General Assembly

In February 2003 declared “that bullying disrupts a school’s ability to educate students and threatens public safety by creating an atmosphere in which such behavior can escalate into violence”

By September 2004 require every district to have policy that addresses bullying and ensures protection of the right of all students to learn in a safe and supportive environment free from harassment, intimidation or bullying

Cranston complied, and has had a policy in place since 2004. Now…

Effective On June 30, 2012 a State-Wide Anti-Bullying Policy was issued by the RI Department of Education.

“The purpose of the Policy is to ensure a consistent and unified statewide approach to the prohibition of bullying at school.” - RIDE

Definition of Bullying

Bullying means the use by one or more students of a written, verbal, or electronic expression or a physical act or gesture or any combination thereof that:

o a. Causes physical or emotional harm to the student or damage to the student’s property;

o b. Places the students in reasonable fear of harm to himself/herself or of damage to his/her property;

o c. Creates an intimidating, threatening, hostile, or abusive educational environment for the student;

o d. Infringes on the rights of the student to participate in school activities; or

o e. Materially and substantially disrupts the education process or the orderly operation of a school.

Definition of Bullying continued...

The expression, physical act or gesture may include, but is not limited to, an incident or incidents that may be reasonably perceived as being motivated by characteristics such as:

Race, color, religion, ancestry, national origin, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity and expression or mental, physical, or sensory disability, intellectual ability or by any other distinguishing characteristic.

Bullying most often occurs as repeated behavior and often is not a single incident between the bullying/cyber-bullying offenders and the bullying victims.

At School means:

a. on school premises,

b. at any school-sponsored activity or event whether or not it is held on school premises,

c. on a school-transportation vehicle,

d. at an official school bus stop,

e. using property or equipment provided by the school, or

f. acts which create a material and substantial disruption of the education process or the orderly operation of the school.

Cranston Public Schools Policy

“The Cranston Public Schools recognizes that each student, staff member, teacher, and administrator has a right to attend/or work in schools, that are safe and secure and are conducive to learning, free from threat of physical or emotional harm, actual or implied. It is the policy of the CPS that harassment and/or bullying of students by other students, personnel, or the public will not be tolerated.”

Cranston Public Schools Policy continued…

“Any incidences of abusive behavior ( verbal, written or physical) including, but not limited to, bullying, harassment, (including sexual harassment as defined by CPS policy #5141.31), blackmail, extortion, intimidation, threats, unwanted physical contact of any kind or fighting will be addressed in accordance with the language regarding such contained in both the secondary and elementary editions of the CPS Disciplinary Policy and Procedure Handbook.”

Anti-Bullying Policy

“This policy is in effect while students are on school grounds or property immediately adjacent , using school transportation, at bus stops, or attending school-sponsored activities, and while away from school grounds if the misconduct directly affects the good order, efficient management, and welfare of the school district.”

Reporting– Any student or employee being harassed,

intimidated or bullied should report incident

– Anyone with information or knowledge of harassing, intimidating or bullying behavior is obligated to report

– All accusations are to be investigated

– Appropriate disciplinary sanctions shall be applied

– False Reporting/Accusations by school employees, volunteers, or students shall be disciplined in accordance with the CPS behavior code.

Disciplinary Action - Determined

by CPS - Shall include, but not be limited to:

• Admonitions and warnings

• Parental/Guardian notification and meetings

• Detention

• In-school suspension

• Loss of school-provided transportation

• Loss of opportunity to participate in extra curricular activities

• Loss of opportunity to participate in school social activities

• Loss of opportunity to participate in graduation exercises or middle school promotional activities

• Police contact

• School suspension: No student shall be suspended from school unless it is deemed to be a necessary consequence of the violation of this policy.