1. causes physical or emotional harm to such student or damage to such student’s
property;
2. places such student in reasonable fear of harm to himself or herself, or of damage
to his or her property;
3. creates a hostile environment at school for such student;
4. infringes on the rights of such student at school; or
5. substantially disrupts the education process or the orderly operation of a school.
B. Bullying shall include, but not be limited to, a written, verbal or electronic
communication or physical act or gesture based on any actual or perceived differentiating
characteristics, such as race, color, religion, ancestry, national origin, gender, sexual
orientation, gender identity and expression, socioeconomic status, academic status,
physical appearance, or mental, physical, developmental or sensory disability, or by
association with an individual or group who has or is perceived to have one or more of
such characteristics.
III. Other Definitions
A. "Cyberbullying" means any act of bullying through the use of the Internet, interactive
and digital technologies, cellular mobile telephone or other mobile electronic devices or
any electronic communications.
B. "Electronic communication" means any transfer of signs, signals, writing, images,
sounds, data or intelligence of any nature transmitted in whole or in part by a wire, radio,
electromagnetic, photoelectronic or photo-optical system;
C. "Hostile environment" means a situation in which bullying among students is
sufficiently severe or pervasive to alter the conditions of the school climate;
D. "Mobile electronic device" means any hand-held or other portable electronic equipment
capable of providing data communication between two or more individuals, including,
but not limited to, a text messaging device, a paging device, a personal digital assistant, a
laptop computer, equipment that is capable of playing a video game or a digital video
disk, or equipment on which digital images are taken or transmitted;
E. "Outside of the school setting" means at a location, activity or program that is not
school related, or through the use of an electronic device or a mobile electronic device
that is not owned, leased or used by a local or regional board of education;
F. "Prevention and intervention strategy" may include, but is not limited to,
(1) implementation of a positive behavioral interventions and supports process or another
evidence-based model approach for safe school climate or for the prevention of bullying
identified by the Department of Education, (2) school rules prohibiting bullying,
harassment and intimidation and establishing appropriate consequences for those who
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