and immediate physical address bullying, threat to student, teacher, or discrimination, or public safety. School harassment to district or administrators should school staff. conduct an investigation prior to making a decision to School staff should only request the involvement of request law enforcement law enforcement officers. assistance if there is a real The school investigation and immediate physical should include interviewing threat to student, staff, or the student suspect and other public safety. The policy witnesses to determine should lay out the whether law enforcement investigation procedure that involvement is appropriate, the responsible district staff pursuant to the standards set must follow before forth in BP ####, Law requesting law enforcement assistance. This Enforcement Contact.” requirement will also limit needless student-officer interactions. 5 Bullying the extent possible, Students and parents must “To [District] and school is and know what “bullying” and strategies shall focus on the consequences for Disseminating prevention of bullying by engaging in bullying establishing clear rules for behavior. Students also Related Policies student conduct and need to know how to report strategies to establish a bullying incidents. Under positive, collaborative school the law in California, school climate. Students shall be districts must have a specific informed, through student process for receiving and handbooks and other investigating complaints appropriate means, of district about bullying. and school rules related to bullying, mechanisms available for reporting incidents or threats, and the consequences for perpetrators of bullying.” 6–7 Bullying staff who witness Paragraphs 6 and 7 discuss “School bullying shall immediately three important legal intervene to stop the incident requirements for school Staff Duties and Complaint when it is safe to do so. districts. The first is that Procedures Students are encouraged to school staff must notify school staff when they immediately address
and immediate physical threat to student, teacher, or public safety. School administrators should conduct an investigation prior to making a decision to request the involvement of law enforcement officers. The school investigation should include interviewing the student suspect and other witnesses to determine whether law enforcement involvement is appropriate, pursuant to the standards set forth in BP ####, Law Enforcement Contact.” address bullying, discrimination, or harassment to district or school staff. School staff should only request law enforcement assistance if there is a real and immediate physical threat to student, staff, or public safety. The policy should lay out the investigation procedure that the responsible district staff must follow before requesting law enforcement assistance. This requirement will also limit needless student-officer interactions. 5 Bullying and Disseminating Related Policies “To the extent possible, [District] and school strategies shall focus on prevention of bullying by establishing clear rules for student conduct and strategies to establish a positive, collaborative school climate. Students shall be informed, through student handbooks and other appropriate means, of district and school rules related to bullying, mechanisms available for reporting incidents or threats, and the consequences for perpetrators of bullying.” Students and parents must know what “bullying” is and the consequences for engaging in bullying behavior. Students also need to know how to report bullying incidents. Under the law in California, school districts must have a specific process for receiving and investigating complaints about bullying. 6–7 Bullying Duties and Complaint Procedures “School staff who witness bullying shall immediately intervene to stop the incident when it is safe to do so. Students are encouraged to notify school staff when they Paragraphs 6 and 7 discuss three important legal requirements for school districts. The first is that school staff must immediately address Staff
final_annotated_aclu_model_bp_bullying.docx