Transcript The “Anti-Bullying Bill of Rights Act”

The “Anti-Bullying Bill of
Rights Act”
Summary
Effective 2011-2012
Glen Ridge Public Schools
Brief History



2002 NJ enacted its public
school anti-bullying statute
2007 amended to include cyber
bullying
2008 required each school
district to post its anti-bullying
policy on its website and
annually distribute it to parents
HIB Definition

Harassment, intimidation and bullying means any
gesture, any written, verbal or physical act, or any
electronic communication whether it be a single
incident or a series of incidents that is reasonably
perceived as being motivated 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 disability
or by any other distinguishing characteristic , that takes
place on school property, at any school-sponsored event,
on a school bus, or off school grounds that substantially
disrupts or interferes with the orderly operation of the
school of the rights of other students and that a
reasonable person should know, under the
circumstances, will have the effect of physically or
emotionally harming a student or damaging the
student’s property, or placing a student in reasonable fear
of physical or emotional harm to his person or damage
to his person or damage to his property.
Definition (continued)

Has the effect of insulting or
demeaning any student or group of
students, disruption in or interference
with, the orderly operation of school
or creates a hostile educational
environment for the student by
interfering with a student’s education
by severely or pervasively causing
physical or emotional harm to the
student.
Professional Development


Each public school teaching
staff member to complete at
least 2 hours of instruction in
suicide prevention.
This instruction must be
provided by a licensed health
care professional with training
and experience in mental health
issues.
Professional Development
(continued)


The instruction in suicide prevention
shall include information on the
relationship between the risk of
suicide and incidents of harassment,
intimidation and bullying.
To include information on reducing
the risk of suicide in students who
are members of communities
identified as having members at high
risk.
Training for Board Members
within one year after:





Newly elected
Newly appointed
Re-election
Re-Appointment
Provided by NJSBA
Reporting cases of HIB
Parent Report due 5 days after board meeting
Results to Board of Education (next meeting)
Results to Superintendent within 2 days of completion of investigation
Principal notifies School Anti-Bullying Specialist to start Investigation
(10 days to complete)
Employee completes written report within 2 days
Principal notifies parents of all involved
^
Employee reports to Principal verbally in 1 day
^
Appeal Process
May file with the Division of Civil Rights
Within 180 days
May be appealed to Commissioner of Education
within 90 days
The board shall issue a decision in writing to affirm,
reject or modify the superintendent’s decision
The hearing shall be held within 10 days of the request
A parent may request a hearing of the board after receiving report
Superintendent’s report to
public


Superintendent must report out
to public 2 times a year SeptJan and Jan-June.
Must report out all acts of
violence, vandalism
harassment, Intimidation and
Bullying which occurred during
reporting period.
Superintendent’s report to
include:





# of reports
Status of investigation
Type and nature of bullying:
gesture, written, verbal physical
act, electronic communication
Names of Investigators
Type and nature of any
discipline imposed on any
student
Superintendent’s report



Training conducted
Programs implemented to
reduce harassment, intimidation
and bullying
Employees shall have
MONTHLY ACCESS to # of all
reported acts of violence,
vandalism, harassment,
intimidation and bullying.
School Data


School report card: to
include data identifying
the number and nature
of all reports of
harassment ,
intimidation and
bullying
Verification of the
reports on violence,
vandalism and
harassment,
intimidation and
bullying shall be part of
the State’s monitoring
of the school district.






Report all HIB data to
NJDOE by school and
district
Two times a year
Each school shall
receive a grade
The District shall
receive a grade by
averaging the grades
of all schools
The grades shall be
posted on each
school’s website and
district website.
Also posted yearly on
NJDOE website
Publicity



A link to the policy must be
prominently posted on home page of
school district’s website
Contact information for the District
Anti-Bullying Coordinator must be
listed on the home page of the
school district’s website and on the
home page of each school website
Contact information for District A-B
Coordinator and the School Antibullying Specialist must be
maintained on NJDOE website.
Disciplinary Action
A school Administrator who receives a report of
harassment ,intimidation, or bullying from a district employee,
and fails to initiate or conduct an investigation, or who should
have known of an incident of harassment, intimidation,
or bullying and fails to take sufficient action to minimize or
Eliminate the harassment, intimidation, or bullying, may be
subject to disciplinary action
Responsibilities of District
Anti-Bullying Coordinator




Responsible for coordinating and
strengthening the school district’s
policies
Collaborate with the School AntiBullying Specialists
Provide data in collaboration with
Superintendent to the NJDOE
Meet with School Anti-Bullying
Specialists 2 times a year to
strengthen procedures and policies
to prevent, identify and address HIB.
School Anti-Bullying Specialist



Principal Appoints
When a school counselor, or
school psychologist is currently
employed in a school the
principal shall appoint that
individual
May appoint other school
personnel if not employed in the
school.
School Anti-Bullying Specialist
Duties



Chair school
safety team
Lead
investigations
Act as the
primary school
official
responsible for
prevention,
identification
and addressing
School Safety Team





Principal or
designee
Anti-bullying
Specialist
Teacher
Parent of a student
Others members
determined by
Principal
Responsibilities of the School
Safety Team



Receive
complaints that
have been
reported to
Principal
Receive reports
after investigation
Identify and
address patterns




Review and
strengthen School
climate and
policies
Educate the
community
Participate in
training/PD
Collaborate with
District AntiBullying
Coordinator
N.J.D.O.E’s participation
• Model Policy to be developed by
Commissioner of Education 90 days
after effective act
•Workshops for Coordinators and
Specialists
•Online tutorial on Harassment,
Intimidation and Bullying
•Bullying Prevention Fund- GRANTS
•First Monday in October of each
year is designated as “ Week of
Respect” in the State of New Jersey.