Bullying Prohibition Policy
Including Cyberbullying, No. 514.0
Note: Discipline Policy 506.0 also addresses bullying. It states:
“Violations against persons communicated or attempted to be
communicated by any means. Such violations include but are not
limited to: verbal and/or nonverbal intimidation/threats; stalking;
obstruction; assault; fighting; extortion; bullying, racial harassment;
harassment on the basis of disability; sexual harassment/violence;
indecent exposure; hazing.”
I. PURPOSE
This policy defines bullying and
A safe and civil environment
cyberbullying, which includes
actions during the school day
is needed for students to
and related functions. It lists
learn and attain high aca-
consequences for anyone who
demic standards and to pro-
bullies another person and re-
mote healthy human
porting procedures for victims
relationships. Bullying, like
and witnesses.
other violent or disruptive be-
havior, is conduct that interferes with students’ ability to learn
and teachers’ ability to educate students in a safe environ-
ment. To the extent such conduct affects the educational envi-
ronment of district schools and the rights and welfare of its
students and is within the control of the district in its normal
operations, it is the district’s intent to prevent bullying and to
take action to investigate, respond, remediate, and discipline
those acts of bullying which have not been successfully pre-
vented. Appropriate administrative and staff follow-up will be
provided for targets and offenders of bullying. While Anoka
Hennepin School District cannot monitor the activities of stu-
dents at all times and eliminate all incidents of bullying be-
tween students, particularly when students are not under the
direct supervision of school personnel, the purpose of this pol-
icy is to assist the district in its goal of preventing and respond-
ing to acts of bullying, intimidation, violence, and other similar
disruptive behavior.
II. GENERAL STATEMENT OF POLICY
A. An act of bullying, by either an individual student or a group
of students, is expressly prohibited on district property, at
school related functions, or in electronic form otherwise
known as cyberbullying. This policy applies to all of the aca-
demic and nonacademic (for example, athletic and extracur-
ricular) programs of the district and will be enforced before,
during, or after school hours on all school property, including
the school bus, school functions, or events held at other lo-
cations. The policy also applies to any off-campus conduct
that causes or threatens to cause a substantial and material
disruption at school, or interferes with the rights of students
or employees to be free from a hostile school environment
taking into consideration the totality of the circumstances
on and off campus. This policy applies not only to students
who directly engage in an act of bullying but also to students
who, by their indirect behavior, condone or support another
student’s act of bullying.
B. No district employee shall permit, condone, or tolerate bul-
lying. Any district employee who observes an act of bullying
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shall intervene to attempt to stop the act and shall report
it to the appropriate person. Likewise, any person who
receives a report of an act of bullying shall report it to the
appropriate person.
C. Apparent permission or consent by a student being bullied
does not lessen the prohibitions contained in this policy.
D. Retaliation against a target, good faith reporter, or a
witness of bullying is prohibited.
E. False accusations or reports of bullying against another
student are prohibited.
F. A person who engages directly or indirectly in an act of
bullying, reprisal, or intentional false reporting of bullying or
permits, condones, or tolerates bullying may be subject to
discipline for that act in accordance with the district’s poli-
cies and procedures. The district may take into account the
following factors:
1. The age, developmental and maturity levels of the par-
ties involved;
2. The levels of harm, surrounding circumstances, and
nature and severity of the behavior;
3. Past incidences or past or continuing patterns of
behavior;
4. The relationship between the parties involved; and
5. The context in which the alleged incidents occurred.
Consequences for students who commit prohibited acts of bullying
may range from positive behavioral interventions up to and includ-
ing suspension and/or expulsion. Consequences for district employ-
ees who permit, condone, or tolerate bullying or engage in an act of
reprisal or intentional false reporting of bullying may result in disci-
plinary action up to and including termination or discharge. Conse-
quences for other individuals engaging in prohibited acts of bullying
may include, but not be limited to, exclusion from district property
and events and/or termination of services and/or contracts.
G. The district will act to investigate all complaints of bullying
and will take appropriate action against any student or
district employee who is found to have violated this policy.
III. DEFINITIONS
For purposes of this policy, the definitions included in this section
apply.
A. Bullying is unwanted, aggressive behavior among school
aged children that involves a real or perceived power imbal-
ance. The behavior is repeated, or has the potential to be
repeated, over time. In order to be considered bullying, the
behavior must be aggressive and include:
1. An imbalance of power: Students who bully use their
power—such as physical strength, access to embarrass-
ing information, or popularity—to control or harm others.
Power imbalances can change over time and in different
situations, even if they involve the same people.
2. Repetition: Bullying behaviors happen more than once,
or have the potential to happen more than once.
Bullying includes actions such as making threats, spreading rumors,
attacking someone physically or verbally, and excluding someone
from a group on purpose. There are three types of bullying:
ahschools.us/policies
2019-20 School Handbook