ANTI-BULLYING POLICY

Bullying constitutes inappropriate conduct that is detrimental to the learning process and the establishment of a safe and fear-free school environment. Saint Thomas the Apostle School opposes bullying and adopts this policy to encourage all members of the school community (employees, students, parents) to take appropriate steps to prevent and respond to bullying behaviors.

Bullying is a form of aggression that occurs when one or more individuals intentionally subject another person (the “target” of the bullying) to unwanted and hurtful action that results in the target feeling oppressed and interferes with a safe and fear-free school environment for that person. While bullying may involve just a single incident, it is frequently characterized by repeated aggressive actions. Bullying may include, but is not limited to, the following types of conduct:

• Verbal:  name-calling, teasing, threatening, taunting, and gossiping.
• Emotional: shunning, isolating, rejecting, terrorizing, defaming, humiliating, blackmailing, manipulating friendships, initiating rumors, and exerting coercive peer pressure.

Note: bullying of a sexual nature will be addressed through the school’s policy and procedures for sexual harassment.

Prevention

1. Saint Thomas hereby provides this information to school employees, students, and parents about the identification, prevention, and correction of bullying.
2. Saint Thomas provides ongoing training about the nature and seriousness of bullying, as well as prevention and intervention strategies to all school employees.
3. Saint Thomas provides students with learning activities regarding the nature and seriousness of bullying; standards of acceptable behaviors; and ways in which students can be actively involved in creating a safe school environment.
4. Saint Thomas encourages communication between teachers, administrators, and parents to promote the strong partnerships necessary to most effectively prevent and intervene with bully/target problems.
5. Saint Thomas shall conduct periodic assessments regarding the types and prevalence of bullying in order to gauge program effectiveness and needs.
6. Recognizing the importance of positive role modeling, Saint Thomas staff shall model appropriate anti-bullying strategies and behaviors.

Intervention

1.   Individualized interventions to equip students with pro-social and coping skills shall be provided to students who exhibit bullying behaviors and those who are targets of such behaviors.

2.   Any person who reports an incident of bullying shall not be subject to retaliation. Appropriate measures shall be taken to discourage and promptly address any retaliation or attempts to “get even” with the target and/or the person who reports the bullying conduct.

3.   Allegations of bullying shall be promptly investigated. Consideration shall be given to the due process rights of the accused as well as the need for confidentiality and safety of the target and reporting person.

4    Bullying can lead to disciplinary consequences, including but not limited to reprimand, suspension, change of schedule or placement, expulsion, denial of participation or privileges, or detention.