All staff and parents are encouraged to listen carefully to children who report bullying and ask a few basic questions to determine if the situation meets the definition of bullying.
What is the difference between bullying and being mean?
Being mean is purposefully saying or doing something to hurt someone once (or maybe twice). Mean behavior is often motivated by anger and with the intention of putting the person down to make themselves feel better.
Bullying is saying or doing something intentionally hurtful to others repeatedly, even when targets of bullying show or express their hurt or tell the aggressors to stop. To be considered bullying, behavior must be aggressive, include an imbalance of power, and be repeated.
From StopBullying.gov:
"Bullying is unwanted, aggressive behavior among school aged children that involves a real or perceived power imbalance. The behavior is repeated, or has the potential to be repeated, over time. Both kids who are bullied and who bully others may have serious, lasting problems.
In order to be considered bullying, the behavior must be aggressive and include:
An Imbalance of Power: Kids who bully use their power—such as physical strength, access to embarrassing information, or popularity—to control or harm others. Power imbalances can change over time and in different situations, even if they involve the same people.
Repetition: Bullying behaviors happen more than once or have the potential to happen more than once.
Bullying includes actions such as making threats, spreading rumors, attacking someone physically or verbally, and excluding someone from a group on purpose."
If you believe you, your child, or your student has experienced the above, please complete the following form.
Please allow up to 24 hours for a response.