1. Bullying / Harassment Training October 13, 2008
Presenter: Richard A. Spirito
Meadowbrook School Principal / Affirmative Action Officer

2. Today We Will Discuss: BULLYING and HARASSMENT CYBERBULLYING
Facts about Bullying and Harassment
What constitutes Bullying and Harassment
Laws that prohibit Bullying and Harassment
What we can do to prevent Bullying and Harassment
CYBERBULLYING
Types
How the Law applies to Cyberbullying.

3. Facts About Bullying
Approximately 160,000 children stay home from school every day because of bullies
Every month 250,000 children report that other kids physically assault them
Every 7 seconds someone is bullied
1/3 of students in 6th – 10th grade experience some form of bullying
32 million children are victims of bullying each year
Boys are 3-4 times more likely to use physical aggression. Girls are more likely to use verbal aggression
A bully is 5 times more likely to have a serious criminal record when he / she grows up.

4. Types of Bullying? PHYSICAL VERBAL RELATIONSHIP BULLYING CYBERBULLYING
Hitting, kicking, pushing, …or even threatening to do so
Stealing, hiding or ruining someone’s belongings
Making someone do something they do not want to do
VERBAL
name calling, teasing, insulting
RELATIONSHIP BULLYING
Refusing to talk to someone
Spreading lies or rumors about someone
Influencing others not to talk to or hang out with someone
CYBERBULLYING
Cell Phones, IM, s, web pages, etc.

5. rolling eyes, dirty looks, threats
Types of Bullying?
DIRECT
Face to Face
Verbal
Insults, putdowns, teasing, harassment
Physical
Pushes, shoves, hitting, assault
Psychological
rolling eyes, dirty looks, threats

6. Types of Bullying? INDIRECT Exclusion Relationship Bullying Gossip
Behind someone’s back
Exclusion
Leaving out, shunning
Relationship Bullying
Telling people not to be friends with the victim
Gossip
Lowering people’s opinion about the victim

7. 24 / 7 CYBERBULLYING www.cyberbullying.us Blogs Text Messaging
Facebook
24 / 7
Cell phones
AOL IM
My Space
Online Video Games
Bullying Then and Now

8. Statutes and Regulations
Legal Requirements
Statutes and Regulations
New Jersey Bullying Statute (N.J.S.A. 18A:37-13 through 19)
Enacted on September 6, 2002 (Amended August 6, 2007)
Definition:
“Harassment, intimidation or bullying means any gesture, any written, verbal or physical act, or any electronic communication that is reasonably perceived as being motivated either 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 handicap, or by any other distinguishing characteristic that takes place…”
Location Important
-school property
-school sponsored functions
-school bus / school bus stop
-off school grounds? Cyberbullying- is there a “true threat”
or “evidence” of substantial disruption? (i.e. PVHS) .

9. Statutes and Regulations
Legal Requirements
Statutes and Regulations
New Jersey Administrative Code (N.J.A.C. 6A:16-7.9)
District must adopt a harassment and bullying policy
(Hillsdale School District Policy 5131)
Minimum requirements of a definition, consequences, reporting procedures, investigation procedures and response
Responsive actions must include:
Support for victims
Corrective action for documented systematic problems
Districts “encouraged” to have programs and must provide:
Annual staff training
Involve: staff, students, volunteers, parents, law enforcement, community
Code (N.J.A.C. 6A:16-7.9(d)) requires annual review and assessment.

10. Why Do Students Bully? Some reasons students bully are:
To pretend they are tough
To try to get others to like them
To hide from their own fears
They are also the victims of bullying
They are unhappy or have low self-esteem.

11. Effects on the Victim The victim experiences distress and humiliation
Bullying is a loss experience:
Loss of safety
Loss of self-esteem
Loss of belonging
Loss of control over own life
Loss of days in school
A students education is negatively affected as a result of bullying
Could lead to serious consequences for the victim.

12. How Can Schools Respond to the Problem?
Provide training to all members of the school district
Make all staff aware of district bullying and harassment policy and procedures
Incorporate programs to improve overall school climate: Coach Randy, Character Education Programs, Violence Awareness Week Activities, etc
Take immediate action when a student does report bullying or harassment
Work together to address the problem of bullying.

13. What Can We Do For Our Students?
Listen to our students when they report incidents of bullying and harassment
Develop classroom rules against bullying
Empower students through programs such as peer counseling, mediation, or conflict resolution
Brainstorm and role play different approaches so that the student will be prepared the next time the bully approaches him or her
Develop projects / activities that encourage teamwork and reduce social isolations
Create activities or assignments that teach problem solving or conflict resolution skills.

14. “Bullying isn’t just the mean things you do, it’s the nice things you deliberately never do.” Jodee Blanco

15. Part II: Harassment

16. Part II: Sexual Harassment
What constitutes Sexual Harassment
Sexual Harassment and the Law
Types of Sexual Harassment
Common Myths about Sexual Harassment
Statistics and Fact
Reporting Procedures.

17. What is Sexual Harassment?
According to the New Jersey Division of Civil Rights, Sexual Harassment is unwelcome sexual advances, requests for sexual favors, and other verbal or physical conduct of a sexual nature.

18. Federal and State Law
In New Jersey, Sexual Harassment is prohibited under:
Federal Law
Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964
Title IX, Educational Amendments of 1972
State Law
The New Jersey Law Against Discrimination (N.J.S.A. 10:5-1 through 49) protects employees from discrimination based on sex. Sexual harassment is a form of sexual discrimination and therefore illegal.
Has been applied to student on student bullying.

19. The Civil Rights Act of 1964
Title IX is enforced by the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC).
The EEOC regulations identify three categories of conduct that constitute sexual harassment under federal law.
1. Unwelcome sexual advances
2. Request for sexual favors
3. Other verbal and physical conduct of a
sexual nature. (i.e. used as a basis of employment decisions)

20. The Educational Amendments of 1972
“No person in the United States shall, on the basis of sex, be excluded from participation in, be denied the benefits of, or be subjected to discrimination under any education program or activity receiving federal financial assistance.”

21. Sexual Harassment and The Hillsdale School District
Affirmative Action - Policy
The Hillsdale Board of Education shall maintain a working environment that is free from Sexual Harassment.
The administration/supervisory staff will inform all faculty and staff that sexual harassment is prohibited in the workplace or educational setting. Specifically no individual(s) in the supervisory position shall threaten to insinuate, either directly or indirectly, that an employee’s refusal to submit to sexual advances will adversely, affect the employee’s continued employment, evaluation, compensation, assignment or advancement. Furthermore, no administrator or supervisor shall promise or suggest, either directly or indirectly, that an employee’s submission to sexual advances will result in improvement in any term or condition of employment of an employee.
Also, sexual harassing conduct in any area of the workplace committed by nonsupervisory personnel is also strictly prohibited.

22. Types of Sexual Harassment
The EEOC and the Courts have recognized two primary types of sexual harassment:
1. “Quid Pro Quo” /
Tangible Employment Action
2. Hostile Environment Harassment

23. Types of Sexual Harassment
“Quid Pro Quo” /
Tangible Employment Action
When one person takes, fails to take, or threatens or offers to take an employment action in return for sexual favors from another person. The “Tangible Employment Action” might consist of almost any form of favorable or unfavorable treatment, such as performance evaluation, assignment, or selection for promotion.

24. Examples of “Quid Pro Quo” Sexual Harassment
A suggestion by a supervisor or professor that sexual involvement with him/her would improve the employee’s chance for promotion or the student’s chance for a good grade.
“The financial aid officer made it clear that I could get the money I needed if I slept with him.”
A professor comments that meeting him / her after class would be important in the kind of grad school recommendation he / she wrote for you.

25. Types of Sexual Harassment
Hostile Environment
Hostile environment sexual harassment involves conduct of a sexual nature that creates a hostile, offensive, or intimidating work environment or unreasonably interferes with the victim’s job performance.
It includes repeated and unwelcome sexual advances, requests for sexual favors, or other verbal, visual or physical conduct of a sexual nature.

26. Factors That Determine Whether an Environment is “Hostile”
The EEOC will look at the following factors to determine whether an environment is hostile:
Whether the conduct was verbal, physical or both
How frequently it was repeated
Whether the conduct was hostile or offensive
Whether the alleged harasser was a co-worker or supervisor
Whether others joined in perpetrating the harassment
Whether the harassment was directed at more than one individual.

27. Other Forms of Sexual Harassment
Repeated, unwanted sexual advances
Requests for sexual favors
Propositions
Sexual gestures, leering, or displaying sexually suggestive objects or pictures
Sexually oriented jokes, remarks or questions
Patting, touching or other unwelcome bodily contact
Inappropriate remarks about one’s own body, clothing, sexual orientation or behavior
Pressure or unwelcome requests for social or sexual activity
Verbal abuse of a sexual nature.

28. Relationships where Sexual Harassment can Occur Include
Supervisor to Subordinate
Peer to Peer
Teacher to Student
Student to Student
Coach to Athlete
Student to Teacher / Employee
Administrator to Faculty member
Contractor / Customer / Client to Student / Faculty / Staff.

29. Common Myths About Sexual Harassment
Harassment involves only sexual conduct?
Agreeing to a proposition to engage in sexual activity means one welcomes it, and so it can’t be harassment?
Sexual Harassment requires bad intent by the perpetrator?
You need to lose pay or your job for it to be considered sexual harassment?
Sexual harassment is primarily a “women’s” problem, and has been blown out of proportion by women’s advocacy groups?

30. Statistics / Facts about Sexual Harassment
One-third of students who have been harassed first experienced such unwelcome behavior before seventh grade.
Eighty-five percent of girls and seventy-five percent of boys surveyed say they have experienced unwanted and unwelcome sexual behavior that interferes with their lives.

31. Why Victims Don’t Report Sexual Harassment
They blame themselves
They feel embarrassed, helpless, hopeless and/or powerless
They don’t know how to report it
They think they won’t be taken seriously
They don’t want to rock the boat
They don’t want to get the harasser in trouble
They are prevented or blocked by the victim or sex role stereotyping.

32. What Should You Do If You Are Sexually Harassed
Know your rights
Don’t ignore it / Don’t blame yourself
Inform the offender that the behavior is unacceptable
Keep records / documentation
Contact your building administrator and/or Affirmative Action Officer.

33. NJ School Employees Found Guilty of Harassment
If you are found guilty of harassment you may face one or more of the consequences below
Dismissal
Loss of Salary
Withholding of salary increment
Certificate revocation

34. Summary
Bullying and Sexual harassment are wrong and prohibited not only by district policy, but by Federal and State law
A commitment to fostering an atmosphere free of bullying and harassment are key elements of the Hillsdale Public School District
Every faculty, staff and student have an opportunity or obligation to report bullying and sexual harassment
Together we can create a fair and safe educational environment for all.

35. Meadowbrook School Principal / Affirmative Action Officer
Contact Information
Richard A. Spirito
Meadowbrook School Principal /
Affirmative Action Officer

36. Resources
New Jersey Coalition Against Sexual Assault
Cyberbullying.us Sameer Hinduja and Justin W. Patchin,
U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission. January 15,
ERIC (1997). What Should Parents and Teachers Know about Bullying? (Brochure). US Department of Education.
Bullyproof. Sjostrom, L., & Stein, N. (1996).
The Bully in Me Program Randy Nathan, Professional Certified Coach. October 2007

37. Resources
Cyberbullying and Schools Education Week Chat. October 10,
Anti-Bullying Network The Anti-Bullying Network. March
Bullying in Our children’s Schools Perkins, Daniel Ph.D., Associate Professor of Family Youth Resiliency and Policy. Penn State University

38. Questions?

39. “You must be the change you wish to see in the world.” Mahatma Ghandi
YouTube - The different forms of bullying