Introduction
The Berkeley Unified School District is formulating a bullying policy, and the District would like to hear your thoughts about this matter.
- What do you think would be an effective policy on bullying?
- Do you think bullying is a problem at you/your child's school?
- Do you think that your/your child’s school appropriately responds to bullying incidents?
Background
Bullying is the repeated actions or threats of action directed toward a person by one or more people who have or are perceived to have more power or status than their target in order to cause fear, distress or harm. Bullying includes name-calling, obscene gesturing, malicious teasing, rumors, slander, social exclusion, damaging someone’s belongings, threats and physical violence.
This definition includes three important components:
1. Bullying is aggressive conduct/behavior that involves unwanted, negative actions such as verbal abuse, threats, humiliation, intimidation, or physical abuse.
2. Bullying involves a pattern of behavior repeated over time.
3. Bullying involves an imbalance of power or strength.
Bullying can take on many forms. Here are just some of the ways:
1. Verbal bullying including mean comments and bad names
2. Bullying through social exclusion or isolation
3. Physical bullying such as hitting, kicking, shoving, and spitting
4. Bullying through lies and false rumors
5. Having money or other things taken or damaged by students who bully
6. Being threatened or being forced to do things by students who bully
7. Racial bullying
8. Sexual bullying
9. Cyber bullying (via cell phone or Internet)
Bullying 'at school' includes the time getting to and from school, at sporting events, and after school hours by classmates, by cyberbullying.
Share your thoughts
You can share your thoughts publicly on this Open Town Hall forum, or complete a confidential 13-question survey here. Either way, thanks for participating!
