HIB

Harassment, Intimidation, Bullying

Northfield Community School Harassment, Intimidation, Bullying Policy  

Harassment, Intimidation or Bullying The board expects all students to treat each other with civility and respect and not to engage in behavior that is disruptive or violent. This type of behavior interferes with a student’s ability to learn and a school’s ability to educate its students in a safe environment. Therefore, the school district will not tolerate acts of harassment, intimidation or bullying.   The board prohibits acts of harassment, intimidation or bullying against any student in accordance with board policy 5131.1 Harassment, Intimidation and Bullying, and law.   “Harassment, intimidation or bullying” is defined as any gesture, any written, verbal or physical act, or any electronic communication, whether it be a single incident or a series of incidents, that is reasonably perceived as being motivated either by any actual or perceived characteristic, such as race, color, religion, ancestry, national origin, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, or a mental, physical or sensory disability, or by any other distinguishing characteristic, that takes place on school grounds, at any schoolsponsored function or on a school bus, or off school grounds in accordance with law, and that:   A. Substantially disrupts or interferes with the orderly operation of the school or the rights of other students;   B. A reasonable person should know, under the circumstances, will have the effect of physically or mentally harming a student or damaging the student’s property, or placing a student in reasonable fear of physical or mental harm to his/her person or damage to his/her property; or   C. Has the effect of insulting or demeaning any student or group of students; or   D. Creates a hostile educational environment by interfering with the student’s education or by severely or pervasively causing physical or emotional harm to the student.   “Electronic communication” means a communication that is transmitted by means of an electronic device, including, but not limited to a telephone, cellular phone, computer, or pager, that takes place on school grounds, at any school-sponsored function or on a school bus.