Bullying: How Evanston School Districts Tackle The Issue

EVANSTON, IL — As part of its National Bullying Prevention Month coverage, Patch contacted administrators of dozens of public school districts in Chicago area suburbs to see how they handle bullying in their communities. Across the country, bullying is a problem that affects more than one in five students. While may boil it down to the idea that "kids will be kids," studies show that students who are bullied are at increased risk for anxiety, depression, poor self-image, mental health and behavior problems and poor school adjustment.

Evanston Patch posed a series of questions earlier this month to administrators in Evanston/Skokie School District 65 and Evanston Township High School District 202 about bullying policies, practices and statistics in their districts. Both districts responded, and their answers are provided below.

District 65

• What is the district’s policy with regard to bullying and cyberbullying?

The district’s policy on bullying can be found here.

• What is the discipline process for students who bully others?

The district’s student behavior policy can be found here.

• How many reported incidents of bullying does the district have this year/last year/by grade level?

During the 2018-19 school year there were a total of 50 reported incidents of bullying in the following grades:

So far, this school year there have been 6 reported cases of bullying in the following grades:

• What constitutes a reportable bullying incident? How does the district define bullying? (In other words, when does it rise to the level of being reportable?)

The definition of bullying is defined in our policy.

• What measures are the district taking to be proactive about bullying?

District 65 utilizes multiple measures to proactively address bullying including extensive and intentional work around creating an inclusive community of learners. Restorative Practices are implemented districtwide and each classroom engages in community circles to help foster relationships, trust and respect for all. Additionally, all students in our K-5 buildings engage in Second Step anti-bullying lessons and activities.

• What is the district doing to help students who have been the victim of bullying?

Each situation of bullying is considered carefully and a personalized plan to ensure the student’s safety is developed. Restorative measures are implemented to repair the harm that was caused and additional safety precautions and supports are put in place as needed.

• Some schools use apps — Ok2Say, STOPIt, BullyTag, etc. — or some other system that allows students to anonymously report bullying. Does your district do this? What kind of volume are schools seeing? Has that increased/decreased?

District 65 has an Anonymous Reporting Hotline that is monitored regularly. However, it is not used very frequently and we have not seen an increase in individuals reporting through the hotline. Most alleged cases of bullying are reported directly to educators and/or building administrators.

ETHS District 202

District 202 administrators responded to the questions above with copies of seven board policies — Harassment of Students Prohibited, Prevention of and Response to Bullying, Intimidation, and Harassment, Teen Dating Violence Prohibited, Student Behavior, Conduct Code for Participants in Extracurricular Activities, Suicide and Depression Awareness and Prevention, Restrictions on Publications; High Schools.

The district also provided its Administrative Procedures regarding the Support of Students and Staff who are Transgender and reports on student discipline and suspension presented to the school board in the past two years — the 2017-18 memo, presentation and the 2018-19 memo and presentation.

The data in the latest memo shows 264 incidents leading to disciplinary actions in the the 2018-19 school year were classified as "harassment/bullying," making up 5 percent of all such actions last year. In the 2017-28 school year, there were 232, down from 416 disciplinary actions classified that way in 2016-17.

The Menace Of Bullies: Patch Advocacy Reporting Project

As part of a national reporting project, Patch has been looking at society's roles and responsibilities in bullying and a child's unthinkable decision to end their own life in hopes we might offer solutions that save lives.

Bullying In Evanston Schools: Share Your Stories With Patch »

Do you have a story to tell? Are you concerned about how your local schools handle bullies and their victims? Email us at bullies@patch.com or share your views in the comments.

Selected Stories From The Project

• Bullied To Death: When Kids Kill With Words
• I Could Have Been Mallory Grossman
• Bullied Over Homemade T-Shirt, Kid Inspires University Of Tennessee Design
• Howell Teen Runs To Save Lives, Change Statistics On Suicide
• America's Shameful Truth About School Shooters And Bullying
• Cyberbullying Most Often Affects Girls; These Women Are Trying To Stop It
• Bullying Kids: Straighten Up, Or Your Parents May Have To Pay Up
• Teen Who Killed Himself Wasn't 'Worthless,' Family Tells Bullies
• Menace Of Bullies: Why This Woman Resigned Her 6-Figure Job
• Survivor Of Bullying And Suicide Writes Frankly About Both
• 'I Will Be Your Friend': First-Grader's Shirt Fights Bullies
• Girl-To-Girl Bullying: Why It's Different, Difficult To Confront
• What Prompts Bullying In This Ohio School
• Cyberbullying In This Michigan City Carries $500 Fine, 3 Months In Jail
• Bully Upstander: Whatever He Said Caused Bullies To Back Down
• Bullying Caused 11-Year-Old To Attempt Suicide, Mother Says
• Bullied 10-Year-Old's Suicide 8th In School District This Year
• The Menace Of Bullies: Most U.S. States Take On Cyberbullying
• Cyberbullying Is Now Against The Law In Michigan
• Shooting Incident Linked To Bullying At School, Mom Says
• Girls More Likely Than Boys To See Bullying As Harmful: Study
• 13-Year-Old Hangs Herself, But Bullying Killed Her
• Teen Tells Bullies In Video: 'Every Day, I Wear Your Words'
• 'The Hero Myth': Why Expecting Kids To Fight Bullies Is Harmful
• 'Mr. Anti-Bully': Reformed Bully, 12, Sets Mistake Right
• Mallory Grossman Bullying Detailed In Wrongful Death Suit
• Malden Schools Were Non-Compliant Through Bullying Saga: DOE
• 'They All Failed And Changed A Child': Malden Bullying Detailed
• Mom Speaks About Bullying Heartbreak: 'I Feel I Failed Him'
• Why These Kindergartners Start Each Day With A Handshake
• The Bully Menace: 'The Hurt Never Goes Away'
• Bullies And Their Targets The Same: Digital Self-Harm Rising
• Williamsburg Poetry Teacher Helps Bullied Kids Open Tortured Minds
• Bullying Tougher To Confront When It's Bias-Based: Researchers
• The Bully Menace: 13 Age-Appropriate Reads
• Teen's 'I Wear Your Words' Video Inspires Nashville Songwriters