DeKalb County School District

Bullying Awareness

The Bullying Awareness Campaign is designed to bring the responsibility of stopping bullying to DeKalb County Schools. Students and staff will be asked to sign a pledge to indicate that they will refrain from participating and/or supporting bullying. Each month, schools will focus on training staff, students, parents, and the community in topics related to bullying. Topics include hazing, cyberbullying and cyberethics, kindness, friendship, bias, and respect.

Bullying is an exertion of power and is generally thought to be a willful pattern of behavior against the same person intended to cause physical and/or emotional hurt. However, no single act of harassment or intimidation will be ignored. It is imperative that schools investigate all reports of bullying and follow established protocol to document compliance with the law.

On December 6, 2010, the Board of Education adopted a complete revision of board policy JCDAG [ https://eboard.eboardsolutions.com/epolicy/policy.aspx?PC=JCDAG&Sch=4054&S=4054&RevNo=1.11&C=J&Z=P ] relative to bullying in DeKalb County Schools. This revision was in response to Senate Bill 250, which changed Georgia bullying laws and required local school systems to adopt a bullying policy by August 2011.

Prohibited Behaviors

verbal/non-physical

unwanted teasing, name-calling, threats, taunts, and intimidation

physical

hitting, shoving, violence, attacks

property

destruction of school/personal property, theft of money/personal possessions associated with bullying/harassment

harassment or intimidation

motivated by race, color, ethnicity, religion, gender, gender identity, sexual orientation, ancestry, national origin, physical attributes, socioeconomic status, physical or mental ability/disability, other characteristics

cyber-bullying/cyber-stalking

text messages, pictures, emails, social networks, chat rooms, blogs, and other digital technologies

public humiliation

social isolation

extortion, manipulation, incitement, and/or coercion

spreading rumors or falsehoods

stalking