National Bullying Prevention Month Brings Awareness To Decatur

DECATUR, GA — We hope you’ve noticed over the past year that we’ve been focusing on bullying and cyberbullying, a confounding national crisis that turns youths’ lives upside down with unimaginable angst and dread, sometimes with deadly consequences. With each story, we’ve heard poignant stories from Patch readers in Georgia and others who were bullied and overcame it, but also many who continue to struggle with the damage done by bullies to their self-esteem.

Many common threads emerged in emails from our readers: Teachers and other educators have suggested everything from first-period decompression time to classroom contracts with students on how they’re expected to treat one another. But for all the readers who said schools need to do more to foster an anti-bullying culture, as many said parents should talk more with their kids about bullying and keep closer track on their social media habits.

And in a loud chorus, they said Americans need to stop wringing their hands and work at all levels to create a world safe from bullying.

That’s one of the purposes of National Bullying Prevention Month, observed annually during October to bring attention to the problem and involve people in Decatur and nationwide in a conversation on how to create a world safe from bullying.

Here is a look at City Schools of Decatur's bullying policy:

The Board of Education of the City of Decatur believes that all students have a right to a safe and healthy school environment. All schools within the district have an obligation to promote mutual respect, tolerance, and acceptance among students, staff, volunteers and visitors. Behavior that negatively impacts the safety of any student will not be tolerated. A student shall not bully, harass, or intimidate another student through words or actions.

Bullying is defined as an act which occurs on school property, on school vehicles, at designated school bus stops, or at school related functions or activities, or by use of data or software that is accessed through a computer, computer system, computer network, or other electronic technology of a local school system, that is:

(1) Any willful attempt or threat to inflict injury on another person, when accompanied by an apparent present ability to do so;

(2) Any intentional display of force such as would give the victim reason to fear or expect immediate bodily harm; or

(3) Any intentional written, verbal, or physical act, which a reasonable person would perceive as being intended to threaten, harass, or intimidate, that:

(A) Causes another person substantial physical harm within the meaning of Code Section 16-5-23.1 or visible bodily harm as such term is defined in Code Section 16-5-23.1;

(B) Has the effect of substantially interfering with a student's education;

(C) Is so severe, persistent, or pervasive that it creates an intimidating or threatening educational environment; or

(D) Has the effect of substantially disrupting the orderly operation of the school.
Such behavior includes but is not limited to: Direct physical contact such as hitting or shoving; verbal assaults such as teasing or name-calling; the use of electronic methods to harass, threaten or humiliate; and social isolation and/or manipulation. This policy prohibiting bullying shall be included in the City Schools of Decatur student Code of Conduct and includes, but is not necessarily limited to, the following:

• Any student who engages in bullying shall be subject to disciplinary action up to and including expulsion.
• Students are expected to immediately report incidents of bullying to the principal or his or her designee.
• Students can rely on staff to promptly investigate each complaint of bullying in a thorough and confidential manner.
• If the complainant student or the parent/guardian of the student feels that appropriate resolution of the investigation or complaint has not been reached after consulting the school principal, the student or the parent/guardian should contact the local superintendent or his or her designee.
• The Board prohibits retaliatory behavior against any complainant or any participant in the complaint process.

All students and/or staff shall immediately report incidents of bullying, harassment and intimidation to the school principal or designee. School staff members are expected to immediately intervene when they see a bullying incident occur. Each complaint of bullying shall be promptly and thoroughly investigated. This policy shall apply to students on school grounds, while traveling on a school bus to or from school, at a school bus stop, at a school-sponsored event and during any school-sponsored activity. Any form of electronic bullying (cyberbullying) using school equipment, school networks, e-mail systems or that are committed at school are strictly prohibited.
Bullying, harassment or intimidation will not be tolerated. Disciplinary action as established in the district’s Student Code of Conduct shall be taken after each incident of bullying upon a finding of guilt.
School system staff shall also involve other school system professionals such as social
workers and counselors and shall use other interventions if needed to address the social-emotional, behavioral, and academic needs of students who are the victims of bullying and students who commit the offense of bullying.
Students, parents/guardians and any other person may directly report incidents of bullying to an administrator, teacher, counselor or other staff member using the school system’s complaint procedures. The staff member to whom an incident of bullying is reported shall immediately notify the principal of the school of the report of bullying. Reports of bullying can also be made by calling the Georgia Department of Education’s 1-877-SAY-STOP (1-877-729-7867) School Safety Hotline.
The procedures for intervening in bullying behavior include, but are not limited to, the following:

• All staff, students and parents/guardians will receive a copy of this policy prohibiting bullying at the beginning of the school year as part of the student Code of Conduct.
• The schools shall keep reports of bullying and the results of bullying investigations confidential to the fullest extent of the law.
• Staff are expected to immediately intervene when they witness a bullying incident or upon receipt of any report of bullying.
• Any person who witnesses or experiences bullying is encouraged to report the incident to the school principal or his or her designee immediately.

School staff shall take the following actions when an incident of bullying is reported:

1. Investigate

Upon receipt of any report of bullying, the staff member shall immediately notify the principal. The principal or his or her designee shall direct an immediate investigation involving appropriate personnel. The investigation should begin no later than the next school day following the report of bullying. The investigation should include, among other actions as needed, interviewing the alleged perpetrator(s) and victims(s), witnesses, teachers and staff members and reviewing video surveillance if available. School counselors, school social workers and/or other support staff should be utilized for their expertise as determined by the circumstances of the matter and the person directing the investigation. Law Enforcement officials shall be contacted as required by the circumstances of the mater.
2. Notify
At an appropriate time during or after the investigation, parents/guardians of the accused and the victim must be notified of the reported incident. If the incident involves an injury or similar situation, appropriate medical attention should be arranged and the parent/guardian should be notified immediately.
3. Discipline
Upon confirming that bullying has occurred, the principal or his or her designee shall charge the accused student with bullying and shall be given an age-appropriate consequence which shall include, at minimum and without limitation, disciplinary action or counseling as appropriate and as otherwise consistent with this policy and the student Code of Conduct.
Students in grades six through twelve who have been found to have committed the offense of bullying for the third time in a school year shall be assigned to an alternative school through appropriate due process by disciplinary hearing officer, panel or tribunal.
4. Follow Up
Follow up is important to the accused and the victim. Staff should implement a method to provide follow up consultation to the victim and the accused. Follow up is an excellent time to remind victim and accuser that retaliation against anyone for reporting an incident of bullying is prohibited.
This policy is intended to communicate the Board’s policy prohibiting bullying and to establish certain requirements for the response to bullying. It is not intended to supersede other applicable policies or the student Code of Conduct nor is it intended to limit the exercise of staff’s discretion in determining additional appropriate actions or interventions when responding to bullying incidents.

A PUBLIC HEALTH ISSUE

Once viewed as a childhood “rite of passage” that toughened kids to handle the pressures of adulthood, bullying and its more insidious digital twin, cyberbullying, is seen by many experts as a major public health issue — on par with heart disease, cancer and diabetes — with devastating and often long-term effects like the loss of self-esteem, heightened anxiety and depression.

We want to hear from you. Do you have a story to tell about bullying or cyberbullying, a suggestion about how to stem it or an event to publicize? Comment at the end of the story, or email tim.darnell@patch.com and copy bullies@patch.com. You can post Bullying Prevention Month and many other events right here on Patch.

Statistics vary, but an aggregate of 80 different studies on bullying suggests one in five American students between 12 and 18 is bullied at some point during their middle or high school years. Traditional bullying — name calling, public humiliation, isolation, physical violence and that sort of thing — occurs most often, with 35 percent of kids reporting they’ve been targeted in one of those ways. The studies cited by the PACER Center, which established National Bullying Prevention Month, show that 15 percent of kids surveyed report being cyberbullied.

And though it occurs less often, cyberbullying — which has resulted in a disturbing string of suicides by adolescents and teenagers — is especially hard to stop. While experts say most cyberbullied kids don’t kill themselves, the long-tailed internet makes a taunt live longer than one flung on the schoolyard. Kids can escape traditional bullying in the safety of their homes, but because social media is so intertwined with how kids communicate, they never really escape it.

READ: Bullied To Death: When Kids Kill With Words

And because cyberbullies have the stealth of anonymity, “empathy tends to fade to zero,” NoBully.org founder Nicholas Carlisle told Patch.

He was knocked around 40 or so years ago as an awkward 12-year-old. The torment persisted through high school, but as tough as it was, his experience was markedly different from the torture kids endure today, he says — and it’s not just that he was attacked in a physical as opposed to online space.

“Online, you can’t see the whites of their eyes,” Carlisle said. “If you can see someone, that’s often a break upon people’s aggression — not always, but it does seem to have some break upon crossing the line.”

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The full consequences of bullying on the brain aren’t fully understood, but kids who are targeted by bullies in childhood and adolescence are at increased risk for psychological problems that can stretch into adulthood, according to experts. In the moment, bullied kids may be unable to sleep or suffer a range of stomach issues and headaches. Later on, they’re at risk for depression, anxiety, and alcohol and drug use.

OCT. 24 UNITY DAY

Among the marquee National Bullying Prevention Month activities is Unity Day, observed on Wednesday, Oct. 24, when everyone is encouraged to wear and show orange to send a message that no child should ever experience bullying.

“Orange provides a powerful, visually compelling expression of solidarity,” Paula Goldberg, the executive director of the PACER Center, said in a statement. “Whether it’s hundreds of individuals at a school wearing orange, store owners offering orange products or a community changing a landmark to orange, the vibrant statement becomes a conversation starter, sending the supportive, universal message that bullying is never acceptable behavior.”

Here’s more about Unity Day:

THE BULLY MENACE: WHAT’S AHEAD

During October and beyond, several experts have agreed to answer readers’ questions about bullying, ranging from how to keep their kids from becoming targets to what to do if their kids are the bullies. We’ll also delve into some of the issues surrounding bullying —

Take a look back at some of the stories in our series:

• America’s Shameful Truth About School Shooters And Bullying
• They All Failed Changed Child: Malden Bullying Detailed
• Bullies, Their Targets The Same In A Surprising Number Of Cases
• ‘Everyday, I Wear Your Words,’ Teen Tells Bullies In Video
• Teen’s ‘I Wear Your Words’ Video Inspires Nashville Songwriters
• Bullying Of Mallory Grossman, 12, Spelled Out In Wrongful Death Lawsuit
• Poetry Teacher Helps Bullied Kids Open Their Tortured Minds
• Why These Kindergartners Start Each Day With A Simple Handshake

If you have a question or want to share your story, please email bullies@patch.com.

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