Code No. 502.11
ANTI-BULLYING/HARASSMENT POLICY
The school district is committed to providing all students with a safe and civil school environment in which all members of the school district community are treated with dignity and respect. Bullying and/or harassment of or by students, staff, and volunteers is against federal, state, and local policy and is not tolerated by the board. Bullying and/or harassing behavior can seriously disrupt the ability of school district employees to maintain a safe and civil environment, and the ability of students to learn and succeed. Therefore, school district employees, volunteers, and students shall not engage in bullying or harassing behavior while on school district property, while on school district owned or school district operated vehicles, while attending or participating in school district sponsored or sanctioned activities, and while away from school district grounds if the conduct materially interferes with the orderly operation of the educational environment or is likely to do so.
Complaints may be filed with the superintendent or superintendent’s designee pursuant to the regulation accompanying this policy. Complaints will be investigated within a reasonable time frame.
A school district employee, volunteer or student or a student’s parent or guardian who promptly, reasonably, and in good faith reports an incident of bullying or harassment, in compliance with the procedures in the regulation, to the appropriate school district official designated by the school district, shall be immune from civil or criminal liability relating to such report and to participation in any administrative or judicial proceeding resulting from or relating to the report.
Retaliation Prohibited
Individuals who knowingly file false bullying or harassment complaints and any person who gives false statements in an investigation may be subject to discipline by appropriate measures.
Any student found to have violated or retaliated in violation of this policy shall be subject to measures up to, and including, suspension and expulsion. Any school district employee found to have violated or retaliated in violation of this policy shall be subject to measures up to, and including, termination of employment. Any school district volunteer found to have violated or retaliated in violation of this policy shall be subject to measures up to, and including, removal from service and exclusion from school grounds.
Definitions
For the purposes of this policy, the defined words shall have the following meaning:
• Electronic means any communication involving the transmission of information by wire, radio, optic cable, electromagnetic or other similar means. Electronic includes, but is not limited to, communication via electronic mail, internet-based communications, pager service, cell phones, and electronic text messaging.
• Harassment and bullying mean any repeated or potentially repeated electronic, written, verbal or physical act or or other ongoing conduct toward a student based on any trait or characteristic of the student which creates an objectively hostile school environment that meets one or more of the following conditions:
• 1) Places the student in reasonable fear of harm to the student’s person or property. • 2) Has a substantial detrimental effect on the student’s physical or mental health. • 3) Has the effect of substantially interfering with a student’s academic performance.
• 4) Has the effect of substantially interfering with the student’s ability to participate in or benefit from the services, activities or privileges provided by a school district.
• Trait or characteristic of the student includes but is not limited to age, color, creed, national origin, race, religion, marital status, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, physical attributes, physical or mental ability or disability, ancestry, political party preference, political belief, socioeconomic status or familial status.
• Volunteer means an individual who has regular, significant contact with students.
Publication of Policy
The board will annually publish this policy. The policy may be publicized by the following means: • Inclusion in the student handbook,
• Inclusion in the employee handbook
• Inclusion in the registration materials
• Inclusion on the school district or school district’s web site,
• Copies available at the central administrative office at: 1505 Washington Street, Ruthven, Iowa 51358
Approved: 4-10-23 Reviewed: 11-15-23 Revised:
