What is Bullying?

Bullying is unwanted, aggressive behavior that involves a real or perceived threat or power imbalance.  Bullying behavior is repeated or has the potential to be repeated.

Types of Bullying

Verbal Bullying involves saying or writing mean things.  It can include:

• Taunting
• Malicious teasing
• Name Calling
• Threatening to cause harm
• Sexual Harassment

Social Bullying involves hurting someone’s reputation or relationships.  It can include:

• Leaving someone out on purpose
• Telling other children not to be friends with someone
• Spreading rumors
• Embarrassing someone
• Extortion
• Intimidation

Physical Bullying involves hurting a person’s body or possessions.  It can include:

• Hitting
• Kicking
• Tripping/Pushing
• Spitting
• Taking and/or breaking someone’s things

Warning Signs of Bullying

Signs a Child is Being Bullied

• Unexplained Injuries
• Sudden Loss of Friends
• Declining grades
• Not wanting to go to school
• Lost or destroyed possessions
• Frequent headaches or stomachaches
• Changes in eating habits
• Decreased self-esteem
• Self-destructive behaviors (harming themselves or talking about suicide)

Signs a Child is Bullying Others

• Get into physical or verbal fights
• Are friends with those who bully others
• Behave aggressively
• Blame others for their problems
• Have new belongings or money without explanation
• Worry about their reputation or popularity
• Don't accept responsibility for their actions

What to Do If Being Bullied

• Report bullying incidents to an adult and ask for help
• Avoid the usual times and places where student comes in contact with the bully
• Choose safe places to be at school, stay with someone, and avoid being alone in a secluded area at school
• Stay calm:  do not allow the bully to anger, embarrass, upset, or scare you
• Distract the bully by changing the subject
• Ignore the bully's remarks
• Walk away from the bully

Effects of Bullying

Being Bullied by Others

• Depression
• Anxiety
• Sadness
• Loneliness
• Health complaints
• Decreased academic achievement

Kids Who Bully Others

Kids who bully others are more likely to:

• Abuse alcohol and other drugs in adolescence and as adults
• Get into fights
• Vandalize property
• Drop out of school
• Engage in early sexual behavior
• Have criminal convictions as adults
• Be abusive towards family member

What Can Parents Do?

Parents can model appropriate behavior for their young children by:

• speaking and acting in a respectful way
• solving problems fairly and peacefully
• building their children's self-confidence and independence
• reassuring their children
• monitoring the use of their children's Internet

Parents of teenage children should remain active and involved in their teenagers' lives.  They must remain proactive and reinforce respectful behavior.  Parents can:

• continue to anchor the values that guide their children's actions and decisions
• remain vigilant and understand school policies
• keep communication flowing between them and their children's teachers and staff
• report bullying problems at school to school staff and ask for help
• monitor the use of their children's internet

Cyber Bullying

Cyber bullying is bullying that is committed through transmission over electronic media.

Resources:

stopbullying.gov

American Psychological Association - Bullying

Bullying Protocols and Policies

The Tehachapi Unified School District believes that all students have the right to attend school in a safe learning environment. The Tehachapi Unified School District will not tolerate behaviors that may compromise the safety of students. A student shall not intimidate or harass another student through words or actions. Such behavior includes direct physical contact, verbal assaults and/or social isolation or manipulation.

The Tehachapi Unified School District expects students and/or staff to immediately report incidents of bullying to the principal or designee. Any complaint will be immediately investigated. Staffs are expected to immediately intervene if they see any incident of bullying occurring.

To ensure bullying does not occur on school campuses, the Tehachapi Unified School District will provide professional development regarding bullying prevention in order to ensure a safe learning environment.

This policy applies to students on school grounds, while traveling to and from school or at any school-sponsored activity whether on or off grounds. Students who bully are in violation of this policy and are subject to disciplinary actions up to and including expulsion.

Safe Place to Learn Act

EC§ 234 and 234.1 - Safe Place to Learn Act – The Tehachapi Unified School District is committed to maintaining a learning environment that is free from discrimination, harassment, violence, intimidation, and bullying based on actual or perceived characteristics set forth in Section 422.55 of the Penal Code and EC 220, and disability, gender, gender identity, gender expression, nationality, race or ethnicity, religion, sexual orientation, or association with a person or group with one or more of these actual or perceived characteristics. All school personnel who witness an act of discrimination, harassment, intimidation, or bullying must take immediate steps to intervene when safe to do so. Any student who engages in acts of discrimination, harassment, violence, intimidation, or bullying related to school activity or school attendance occurring within a school of the school district may be subject to disciplinary action up to and including expulsion.