Moorestown Schools Help Bullies, Victims In HIB Incidents

MOORESTOWN, NJ — Bullying and cyberbullying is a confounding national crisis that turns youths' lives upside down with unimaginable angst and dread, sometimes with deadly consequences.

In the past, Patch has heard from 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. Part of that is figuring out what makes a bully decide to pick on other students.

The Moorestown Public School District’s Anti-Bullying Policy addresses this with some of its remedial measures in the aftermath of an incident of harassment, intimidation or bullying.

As part of its policy, the district brings in school counselors, school social workers and/or school psychologists can also be called in to decipher if the bully has mental health issues.

It also gives the student a voice in developing a behavioral contract, ensuring that the student knows how they can change their behaviors, according to the policy posted on the district website.

It also provides social skill training, such as impulse control, anger management, developing empathy and problem solving.

In addition to helping decipher why the bully may have done what they did, the district helps the bully understand the consequences of their actions. They are required to write a reflective essay to ensure they understand the consequences of their actions, write an apology and research and teach a lesson to the class about bullying, empathy or a similar topic.

They research age-appropriate restorative practices, and schedule follow-up conferences with the student. There are also punishments in play for those accused of bullying.

According to Moorestown’s anti-bullying policy guide posted on the district’s website, consequences for students who commit an act of harassment, intimidation or bullying are based on a number of factors, including the nature of the action, the disabilities, if any, of the students involved, student’s age and history of issues.

The accused bully in the incident may be subjected to a behavioral assessment or evaluation, including a referral to the Child Study Team or other referral services. A list of determining factors can be found on the district’s website.

Repeat offenders will be subject to tougher consequences, which may include suspension or expulsion, according to the policy. Examples of consequences include:

• Admonishment;
• Temporary removal of student from classroom;
• Having certain privileges taken away;
• Detention;
• In or out of school detention;
• Expulsion; and
• Notifying law enforcement or taking other legal action.

The district meets with the family and the student to make sure everyone understands the consequences involved.

Of course, the district also does what it can to help the victims in these incidents.

A trusted staff member meets with the victims to explore their feelings about the incident, and they develop a plan to ensure the student’s emotional and physical safety at school.

They also work to make sure the victim doesn’t feel responsible for bringing the bullying behavior on themselves, and helps them develop skills on how to resist being bullied. Follow-up conferences are also scheduled, and the school also works with the families of the victims.

To view the full policy, visit the school district’s website.

The Board of Education will review the district’s anti-bullying self-assessment grades at its next meeting on Tuesday, Oct. 15, according to the school district. The grades will then be posted on the district website next week, amid Nationally Bullying Month.

National Bullying Prevention Month is observed annually during October to bring attention to the problem and involve people in New Jersey and nationwide in a conversation on how to create a world safe from bullying.

Districts and individual schools are graded on how they handle bullying on a scale that includes a maximum number of 78. Grades are determined using data submitted to the New Jersey Department of Education by each school district after that data is approved by the district's board of education.

Schools are graded on how they administer bullying, harassment and intimidation programs, training and other instruction for staff, student instruction, reporting of incidents, how many members of staff are trained to deal with incidents and their procedure for investigating incidents.

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.

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