What is Harassment? What is Harassment? A Look at Harassment/Bullying Policies in Moore Public Schools

Harassment/Bullying Harassment/Bullying is: A wide spectrum of offensive behavior. Used in a legal sense it refers to behaviors that are found threatening, intimidating, hostile, offensive or disturbing beyond those sanctioned by society.

Board Policy 7265 It is the policy of the Moore Board of Education to prohibit threatening behavior, harassment, intimidation and/or bullying of students at school, in school vehicles, at designated bus stops, at school activities, or at school sanctioned events, by electronic communication if the communication is specifically directed at students or school personnel and concerns harassment, intimidation, or bullying at school.

Sexual Harassment Policy (Board Policy #7225) Sexual Harassment is defined as any consensual or nonconsensual sexual advance, request for sexual favors, and other verbal, written, or physical conduct of a sexual nature. Sexual harassment may occur between students of opposite or same gender.

Sexual Harassment: Sexual Harassment includes, but is not limited to, the following: 1.Written-Consensual or nonconsensual sexually suggestive or obscene drawings, letters, notes, invitations, graffiti that identify and individual or internet postings.

Sexual Harassment Policy-continued 2. Verbal-Sexually derogatory comments, solicitation, slurs, degrading jokes, teasing, kidding & stereotyping. 3. Physical-Unwelcome touching of an individual such as pinching, hugging, patting, repeated brushing against a student’s body, pulling at clothing and blocking one’s passage.

Sexual Harassment Policy-continued 4. Visual-Sexually oriented gestures, drawings, displaying sexually suggestive or derogatory objects, pictures, magazines, or cartoons.

What if you are harassed or bullied? You should report all such incidents to your Principal, Counselor, or a Teacher

What if you witness someone harassing or bullying another student? You should report all such incidents to a Principal, Counselor or Teacher immediately.

Helping a Friend Maybe you’re not being bullied but you know someone who is. Have you ever stood around when someone was being bullied but you were not sure what, if anything, you could do?

You should report all such incidents to a Principal, Counselor or Teacher immediately. Refuse to join in. Do not laugh at mean jokes or teasing. Correct your classmates. If you hear a rumor, or intolerant statement ask them to stop.

Disciplinary Actions Bullying, and harassment of any kind are subject to disciplinary actions. Disciplinary Actions include but are not limited to: Verbal Warning, Conflict Resolution, Peer Mediation, ISD, Suspension and/or Legal fines.

If any student intentionally fabricates a complaint of bullying or sexual harassment against another individual covered under this policy, the student shall be subject to disciplinary action.

Students are the eyes and ears of our school community. Adults depend upon input from students to help make our school a safe environment.

Do the right thing!