HIB (Harassment, Intimidation and Bullying) Helen Morgan School

LAW  On January 5, 2011 Governor Christie signed into law the “Anti-Bullying Bill of Rights Act”  The law went into effect September 2011  It amends the 2002 anti-bullying law

Key changes in the law  There is a new definition of bullying  It clarifies responsibility for conduct away from school grounds  It creates school safety teams in each school  It requires an anti-bullying specialist in every school  It requires an anti-bullying coordinator for each district  It requires new investigation, reporting, discipline, and appeal procedures  It has new state reporting requirements on incidents of bullying  It has new grading procedures for schools and districts

Anti-Bullying Coordinator Dr. Johnson, Assistant Superintendent  The anti-bullying coordinator strengthens district HIB policy to prevent, identify, and address HIB  Meets with the anti-bullying specialists  Provides data, in collaboration with the superintendent to the NJDOE

Anti-Bullying Specialist Toni-Ann Labar for Helen Morgan School  Chairs the school safety team  Leads the investigation of reported HIB cases  Acts as the primary school official responsible for preventing, identifying, and addressing incidents of HIB in the school

School Safety Team  Formed to develop, foster, and maintain a positive school climate, including HIB issues  Includes principal, teachers, students, and parents

What is bullying? In order for something to be considered bullying it must meet these three criteria. 1. A reasonable perception of the bullying is motivated either by any actual or perceived characteristic. Age, race, color, status, religion, gender, disability, other 2 Substantial disruption or interferes with the orderly operation of the school or the rights of other students. 3.One or more of the following: A reasonable person should know under the circumstance will have the effect of physically or emotionally harming a student or damaging the student's property or placing a student in reasonable fear of physical or emotional harm to his person or damage to his property. Has the effect of insulting or demeaning any student or group of students. Creates a hostile educational environment for the student by interfering with a student's’ education or by severely or pervasively causing physical or emotional harm to the student.

There is a difference between a conflict and an incident of harassment, intimidation and bullying (HIB). The two vary in terms of the balance of power that exists among the parties involved. They also differ in terms of what motivates the aggressor. Conflict is characterized by a mutually competitive or opposing action or engagement. HIB is typically one-sided, with the power resting more heavily on the side of the aggressor. Conflict can include any disagreements, arguments and/or fights between two people or two or more groups of people. Things may escalate in conflict to include physicality or name calling. HIB involves the targeting of one or more students by one or more individuals. The incident is “motivated by any actual or perceived characteristic such as race, color, religion, ancestry, national origin, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity and expression or a mental, physical or sensory disability, or by any other distinguishing characteristic." The motivation behind the action is a key determining factor. It is the victim’s race, color, religion, etc. that triggers and is the focal point of the interaction. Conflict versus Bullying

Reporting HIB Report all bullying complaints to the Anti-Bullying Specialist, Toni-Ann Labar

Anti-Bullying Specialist Mrs. Toni-Ann Labar