The district does not tolerate harassment, intimidation, or bullying in any form and will take all necessary and appropriate action to eliminate it.
For the purpose of this policy, harassment includes striking, shoving, kicking, throwing object at, or otherwise subjecting another person to physical contact or attempting or threatening to do the same; name calling; or engaging in a course of conduct or repeatedly committing acts which intimidate, cause discomfort, or humiliate another person or, which interferes with the victim's academic or work performance. Harassment includes verbal comments or other expressions that insult, degrade, or stereotype any person or group because of race, color, national origin, gender, sexual orientation, religion/creed, pregnancy, parental/martial status, disability, or age.
Harassment also includes sexual harassment, which for the purpose of this policy, refers to the behaviors that are not welcome, that are personally offensive, that debilitate morale, and that interfere, with the academic performance of its victims or their peers. Sexual harassment may also include, but is not limited to, action such as sexually-oriented verbal "kidding" or abuse, pressure for sexual activity, sexual contact and unwelcome touching, display of sexually suggestive objects or pictures, demands for sexual favors accompanied by implied or overt promises of preferential treatment of threats concerning an individual's employment or academic status, any job or academic-related action that is based upon an individual's acceptance of, resistance to, or refusal of sexual overtures
Intimidation is defined as an individual intentionally behaving in such a way as to make another feel timid or fearful. This includes overt or implied threats and/or physical gestures.
Bullying is defined as a form of aggression in which there is an imbalance of power between the bully and the victim. Bullying can be physical, verbal, or psychological and is of a repetitive nature. It can be direct (face to face) or indirect (behind someone's back). Indirect bullying includes exclusion and gossip.
Harassment, intimidation, and bullying are prohibited in all academic and nonacademic settings. This includes, but is not limited to, school classrooms and hallways, school buses, cafeteria, athletic competitions, field trips, locker rooms, and cooperative work programs.
It shall be a violation of District policy for any student to harass, intimidate, and/or bully anyone through conduct regarding race, color, national origin, gender, sexual orientation, religion/creed, pregnancy, parental/marital status, disability, or age. This policy also prohibits harassment, intimidation, and/or bullying from third parties not directly subject to district control (i.e., persons who are not students or employees) when such persons are engaged in school district/Recreation Department-sponsored activities. Examples of third parties include audiences and competitors at inter-district athletic competitions, service contractors, school visitors, and employees of business or organizations participating in cooperative work programs with the district.
Sexual harassment by staff toward any student shall be presumed unwelcomed. Individuals who experience sexual harassment from a peer (e.g., adult to adult, student to student) should be encouraged to make it clear that such behavior is offensive to them.
Students who instigate any type of harassment, intimidation, or bullying are subject to disciplinary action. Individuals who experience any type of harassment, intimidation, or bullying may process a complaint pursuant to this policy. Students reporting incidents of harassment will be protected from retaliation. Students who engage in retaliatory conduct against a complainant will be subject to discipline under this policy.
The district will act promptly to investigate all complaints, either formal or informal, verbal or written, harassment, intimidation, or bullying because of race, color, national origin, gender, sexual orientation, religion/creed, pregnancy, parental/marital status, disability, or age; to promptly take appropriate action to protect individuals from further harassment, intimidation, or bullying; and, if determines that unlawful harassment occurred, to promptly and appropriately discipline any student who is found to have violated this policy, and/or take appropriate action reasonably calculated to end the harassment.
