Introduction: The Bullying, Harassment, or Intimidation Reporting Form should be used to report alleged incidents of bullying, harassment, or intimidation that occurred between students during the current school year on school property, at a school-sponsored activity on or off school property, on a school bus, or through electronic communication on or off school property. Allegations of students being bullied, harassed, or intimidated by an employee are to be addressed under Administrative Procedure 4170 and not this form.
Instructions: If you are a student, the parent/guardian or caregiver of a student, a school staff member, or a bystander/witness and wish to report an incident of alleged bullying, cyberbullying, harassment, or intimidation, please complete this form. Submitted forms will be emailed to you and the Principal at the targeted student’s school and will be investigated within two (2) school days. Once the investigation has been completed, the parents/guardians of the targeted student and alleged offender student will be notified of the outcome. You may contact the school or the Department of Student Services at 301-567-5702 for additional information or assistance. To learn more, please familiarize yourself with Administrative Procedure 5143.
Important Definitions :
- Alleged Bystander/Witness(es) - The person who observed the alleged bullying behavior.
- Alleged Offender Student/Bully - A person or a group repeatedly harming/hurting another person-physically (e.g. punching, pushing, biting), verbally (e.g. teasing or name-calling), or socially (e.g. ostracizing or spreading hurtful rumors)
- Alleged Targeted Student(s) - The person who is the target of the alleged bullying behavior.
- Bullying - is unwanted, demeaning behavior among students that involves a real or perceived power imbalance. The behavior is repeated, or is highly likely to be repeated, over time. In order to be considered bullying, the behavior must be intentional and include: 1) An imbalance of power (students who bully use their physical, emotional, social, or academic power to control, exclude, or harm others), and 2) Repetition (bullying behaviors happen more than once or are highly likely to be repeated based on evidence gathered).
- Cyberbullying - is bullying that takes place over digital devices like cell phones, computers, and tablets. Cyberbullying can occur through texting, apps, or online via social media, forums, or gaming where people can view, participate in, or share content. Cyberbullying includes sending, posting, or sharing negative, harmful, false, or hurtful content about another student. It can include sharing personal or private information about someone else causing embarrassment or humiliation.
- Harassment - includes actual or perceived negative actions that offend, ridicule, or demean another student with regard to race, ethnicity, national origin, immigration status, family/parental or marital status, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, religion, ancestry, physical attributes, socioeconomic status, physical or mental ability, or disability.
- Sexual Harassment - Conduct that is of a sexual nature is generally thought to mean actions, language, or visual materials which specifically refer to, portray, or involve sexual activity or language. Conduct of a sexual nature may include overt sexual solicitations, inappropriate touching, sexual jokes, and inquiries about a person's sex life. Sexual harassment is the broader term that encompasses conduct of a sexual nature such as unwelcomed sexual advances, requests for sexual favors, and other verbal or physical contact of a sexual nature. Sexual harassment also includes acts that are not overtly sexual but rather are directed at individuals based on their gender such as profanity or rude behavior that is gender-specific.
- Intimidation - is any communication or action directed against another student that threatens or induces a sense of fear and/or inferiority. Retaliation may be considered a form of intimidation.
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