1. Dignity for All Students Act (The Dignity Act)
Developed for the employees of Monroe #1 BOCES

2. Training Objectives 1. Review The Dignity Act
2. Raise awareness and understanding of the BOCES Code of Conduct and potential acts of harassment or discrimination
3. Enable employees to prevent and respond to incidents of harassment and discrimination

3. The Dignity Act
…seeks to provide a safe environment free of harassment or discrimination based on a person’s:
Actual or perceived race
Color
Weight (size)
National origin
Ethnic group
Religion
Religious practice
Disability
Sexual orientation
Gender identity
Sex

4. Goal of the Dignity Act
No student shall be subjected to harassment, discrimination, or bullying by employees or students
The goal of the Dignity Act is to provide New York’s public elementary and secondary school students with a safe and supportive environment free from discrimination, intimidation, taunting, harassment, and bullying, on school property, on a school bus, or at a school function – by other students or school employees.

5. Definitions Building a common language… Harassment Bullying Drama
Conflict
Cyber Bullying

6. Harassment
The creation of a hostile environment by verbal threats, intimidation or abuse that causes or would reasonably be expected to cause:
Physical Harm
Fear For One’s Safety
Emotional Harm

7. Bullying… …harassment where there is an imbalance of power
and is, or has the potential to be, repeated.
Harassment & Bullying

8. Conflict/Drama/Harassment
The purposeful creation of a hostile environment by verbal threats, intimidation or abuse…
Harassment
A social interaction characterized by overreaction and excessive emotionality
Drama
Oppositional interactions or disagreements where power is not used to exploit
Conflict

9. Types of Harassing Behaviors
Physical
Hitting, punching, tripping
Kicking, pushing, scratching
Damaging, stealing property
Social/Emotional/Relational
Excluding or threatening to exclude
Spreading rumors
Discriminatory behavior
Using threatening looks or gestures
Extortion

10. Cyber Bullying
Using technology with the intent to intimidate, harass, threaten, embarrass or otherwise cause harm
Via cell phone, computer (text messages, pics, online) or other device
Aggression/Abuse
Goto video

11. Cyber Bullying Facts 1/3 of teenagers cyber bullied
Girls experience it more than boys
More likely to cyber bully if they believe adults and bystanders will not intervene…
Often those who are victims then victimize.
Remember parents cannot see the signs often
It is like the “lord of the files”.
You wouldn’t let a 10 year old run around the house with a sharp knife. It is a powerful tool that could hurt them.
Myspace research:

12. Education: Teaching Online Civility
Educate: Just as we do with interpersonal skills, teach students to use technology safely, responsibly, and ethically
P4: Pause and Ponder Prior to Posting!
Miranda Warning! P4

13. Understanding Diversity
How does diversity influence relationships?
How do relationships influence learning?

14. Youth Voice Project, 2010-Stan Davis and Charisse Nixon.

15. Impact Lonely Low self-esteem Afraid and intimidated Lower grades
Anxious
Depressed
Humiliated

16. Prevention is primary Teaching students life skills:
Model the behaviors we want the students to exhibit.
Are we doing this now, and how can we do it better?
Recognizing and managing emotions
Developing caring and concern for others
Establishing positive relationships
Making responsible decisions
Problem solving
Handling challenging situations
Behaving ETHICALLY and RESPECTFULLY
*Are we doing this now, and how can we do it better?

17. Reporting The law requires you to:
Report harassing, bullying or discrimination of a student within 24 hours to the student’s program administrator or DAC.
Submit a written report to program administrator or DAC within 2 working days.

18. Reporting Links to forms may be found at www.monroe.edu
Support a culture for reporting by students

20. Students feel supported when adults:
Youth Voice Research Project Top three adult actions reported by youth as helpful:
Listened to me
Gave me advice
Checked in with me after to see if harassing behavior stopped
Remember that kids often do not report harassment and bullying because they think adults will make it worse (we need to build trust).

21. Other Ways to Intervene
Immediately stop the harassment, or report to someone who can; take appropriate immediate actions to provide for safety.
Refer to the harassing behavior and the school rules against harassment.
Support the target.

22. Goal
Improved School Climate through:
Prevention
Reporting
Response