• BULLYING & HARASSMENT 

    Bullying and other forms of intimidation will not be tolerated in any form and are strictly prohibited by the Atlanta Board of Education Policy (JDCDAG) and Georgia law (O.C.G.A. 20-2-715.1).

    REPORTING OF BULLYING AND HARASSMENT

    All reports of bullying are taken seriously. Reports of bullying or retaliation may be made by staff, students, parents or guardians, or others, and may be oral or written. The Bullying Reporting Form is available in the school’s main office, the counseling office, the school nurse's office, as well as the Atlanta Public Schools’ website. Counselors and administrators can provide assistance to students in filling out the bullying reporting form.

    Prohibited behaviors must occur on the property of the public school, at an event within the jurisdiction of a public school or at a school-sponsored event.  Reported incidents of bullying, harassment, intimidation or retaliation that have occurred outside the jurisdiction of the school and have not disrupted the school environment shall be reported to the students’ parents/legal guardians. Disciplinary action may also be necessary if off-campus behavior results in a disruption to the school environment. 

    Bullying

    No student should bully another student or students. Bullying can occur on school property or through school technology resources, but can also occur through the use of electronic communication, whether or not that communication originated on school property or with school technology resources, if the electronic communication -

    • Is directed specifically at students or school personnel
    • Is maliciously intended for the purpose of threatening the safety of those specified or substantially disrupting the orderly operation of the school
    • Creates a reasonable fear of harm to the students' or school personnel's person or property or has a high likelihood of succeeding in that purpose. 
      
    *Electronic communication includes but is not limited to any transfer of signs, signals, writings, images, sounds, data or intelligence of any nature transmitted in whole or in part by a wire, radio, electromagnetic, photo electronic or photo optical system.
     

    Bullying Behavior is Defined

    • Willful attempt or threat to inflict injury on another person when accompanied by an apparent present ability to do so or;
    • Intentionally exhibiting a display of force such as would give the victim reason to fear or expect immediate bodily harm, or;
    • Any intentional written, verbal or physical act which a reasonable person would perceive as being intended to threaten, harass or intimidate that
      • Causes substantial physical harm or bodily harm capable of being perceived by a person other than the victim and may include, but is not limited to, substantially blackened eyes, substantially swollen lips or other facial or body parts, or substantial bruises to body parts.
      • Has the effect of substantially interfering with the victim student’s education
      • Is so severe, persistent or pervasive that it creates an intimidating or threatening educational environment; or
      • Has the effect of substantially disrupting the orderly operation of the school.

    Examples of bullying and harassment include, but are not limited, to:

    • Unwanted teasing
    • Threats, taunts and intimidation by words and/or gestures
    • Physical violence and/or attacks
    • Extortion
    • Sexual, religious, or racial harassment
    • Public humiliation
    • Destruction of school/personal property
    • Theft of money and/or personal possessions
    • Rumors or spreading of falsehoods
    • Stalking
    • Social exclusion, including incitement and/or coercion
    • Cyberstalking or engaging in conduct to communicate, or to cause to be communicated, words, images, or language by or through the use of electronic mail or electronic communication, directed at or about a specific person, causing substantial emotional distress to the victim.
    • Cyberbullying or the willful, hostile and repeated harassment and intimidation of a person through the use of digital technologies, including, but not limited to, email, blogs, social networking websites (e.g. MySpace, Facebook, etc.) chat rooms, texts, and instant messaging
    • The use of cameras or camera phones to take embarrassing photographs of students or school employees and posting them online.
    • Sending abusive or threatening text messages or instant messages
    • Using websites to circulate gossip and rumors to other students