ANTI-BULLYING/HARASSMENT - PERSONNEL

Harassment and bullying of employees/volunteers are against federal, state and local policy, and are not tolerated by the board. The board is committed to providing all employees/volunteers with a safe and civil school environment in which all members of the school community are treated with dignity and respect. To that end, the board has in place policies, procedures, and practices that are designed to reduce and eliminate bullying and harassment as well as processes and procedures to deal with incidents of bullying and harassment. Bullying and harassment of school employees and volunteers will not be tolerated in the school or school district. Bullying/harassment by board members, employees, parents, and others doing business with the school district is prohibited.

The board prohibits harassment, bullying, hazing, or any other victimization, of employees and volunteers, based on any of the following actual or perceived traits or characteristics, including but 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.

This policy is in effect while employees and volunteers are on property within the jurisdiction of the board; while on school-owned or school-operated vehicles; while attending or engaged in school- sponsored activities; and while away from school grounds if the misconduct directly affects the good order, efficient management and welfare of the school or school district.

If, after an investigation, a school employee is found to be in violation of this policy, the employee shall be disciplined by appropriate measures which may include suspension or termination. If after an investigation a school volunteer is found to be in violation of this policy, the volunteer shall be subject to appropriate measures which may include exclusion from school grounds. “Volunteer” means an individual who has regular, significant contact with students.

When looking at the totality of the circumstances harassment and bullying mean any electronic, written, verbal, or physical act or conduct toward a employee/volunteer which is based on any actual or perceived trait or characteristic of the employee/volunteer and which creates an objectively hostile school environment that meets one or more of the following conditions:
Places the employee/volunteer in reasonable fear of harm to the employee’s/volunteer’s person or property;
Has a substantially detrimental effect on the employee’s/volunteer’s physical or mental health;
Has the effect of substantially interfering with the employee’s/volunteer’s job performance; or
Has the effect of substantially interfering with the employee’s/volunteer’s ability to participate in or benefit from the services, activities, or privileges provided by a school.

ANTI-BULLYING/HARASSMENT - PERSONNEL

“Electronic” means any communication involving the transmission of information by wire, radio, optical cable, electromagnetic, or other similar means. “Electronic” includes but is not limited to communication via electronic mail, internet-based communications, pager service, cell phones, electronic text messaging or similar technologies.

Harassment and bullying may include, but are not limited to, the following behaviors and circumstances:
Repeated remarks of a demeaning nature
Implied or explicit threats concerning one's achievements, property, etc.
 	Demeaning jokes, stories, or activities directed at the employee/volunteer Unreasonable interference with an employee’s/volunteer’s performance

Sexual harassment of an employee or volunteer means unwelcome sexual advances, requests for sexual favors, or other verbal or physical conduct of a sexual nature when:
Submission to the conduct is made either implicitly or explicitly a term or condition of the employee’s/volunteer’s job or benefits;
Submission to or rejection of the conduct is used as the basis for job decisions affecting that employee/volunteer; or
The conduct has the purpose or effect of substantially interfering with the employee’s/volunteer’s job performance by creating an intimidating, hostile, or offensive working environment.

In situations between employees/volunteers and school officials, faculty, staff, who have direct contact with employees/volunteers, bullying and harassment may also include the following behaviors:
Requiring that an employee/volunteer submit to bullying or harassment by another employee/volunteer either explicitly or implicitly, as a term or condition of the targeted employee’s/volunteer’s job.
Requiring submission to or rejection of such conduct as a basis for decisions affecting the employee/volunteer.

Any person who promptly, reasonably, and in good faith reports an incident of bullying or harassment under this policy to a school official, shall be immune from civil or criminal liability relating to such report and to the person’s participation in any administrative, judicial, or other proceeding relating to the report. Individuals who knowingly file a false complaint may be subject to appropriate disciplinary action.

Retaliation against any person, because the person has filed a bullying or harassment complaint or assisted or participated in a harassment investigation or proceeding, is also prohibited. Individuals who knowingly file false harassment complaints and any person who gives false statements in an investigation shall be subject to discipline by appropriate measures, as shall any person who is found to have retaliated against another in violation of this policy. Any school employee found to have retaliated in violation of this policy shall be subject to measures up to, and including,

ANTI-BULLYING/HARASSMENT - PERSONNEL

termination of employment. Any school volunteer found to have retaliated in violation of this policy shall be subject to measures up to, and including, exclusion from school grounds.

The school or school district will promptly and reasonably investigate all allegations of bullying or harassment.

Supervisor or designee will be responsible for handling all complaints by employees/volunteers alleging harassment.

It is the responsibility of the board members, administrators, licensed and classified employees, volunteers and others having business or other contact with the school district to act appropriately under this policy. It is the responsibility of the superintendent and investigator to inform and educate employees and others involved with the school district about harassment and the school district's policy prohibiting harassment.

This policy and accompanying regulations will only apply when an employee/volunteer is the victim of an alleged harasser or an employee/volunteer is the alleged harasser.

Date of Adoption: April 25, 1990 Date of Revision: March 9, 1993 Date of Revision: October 11, 1994
Date of Revision: September 27, 2005 Date of Revision: August 14, 2007 Date of Revision: November 27, 2007

Code No. 403.5 E-1

ANTI-BULLYING/HARASSMENT COMPLAINT FORM
(Supervisor)

Name of complainant:  	

Position of complainant:  	

Date of complaint:  	

Name of alleged harasser:  	

Date and place of incident or incidents:  	

Nature of Discrimination or Harassment Alleged (Check all that apply)

	Age		Physical Attribute		Sex	
	Disability		Physical/Mental Ability		Sexual Orientation	
	Familial Status		Political Belief		Socio-economic Background	
	Gender Identity		Political Party Preference		Other – Please Specify:	
	Marital Status		Race/Color		
	National Origin/Ethnic Background/Ancestry		
Religion/Creed		

Description of misconduct:  	

Name of witnesses (if any):  	

Evidence of harassment, i.e., letters, photos, etc. (attach evidence if possible):  	

Any other information:  	

I agree that all of the information on this form is accurate and true to the best of my knowledge. Signature:  	
Date:  	

ANTI-BULLYING/HARASSMENT WITNESS DISCLOSURE FORM
(Supervisor)

Name of witness:  	

Position of witness:  	

Date of testimony, interview:  	

Description of instance witnessed:  	

Any other information:  	

I agree that all of the information on this form is accurate and true to the best of my knowledge. Signature:  	
Date:  	

DISPOSITION OF ANTI-BULLYING/HARASSMENT COMPLAINT FORM

Name of
complainant:	 		
Name of or Employee/volunteer
target:	 		
Building of or
employee/volunteer:	 		
Name and position or grade of
alleged perpetrator /respondent:	 		

Date of initial complaint:	
 		
Nature of discrimination or harassment alleged (Check all that apply)	
Age		Physical Attribute		Sex	
Disability		Physical/Mental Ability		Sexual Orientation	
Familial Status		Political Belief		Socio-economic Background	
Gender Identity		Political Party Preference		Other – Please Specify:	
Marital Status		Race/Color			
National Origin/Ethnic Background/Ancestry		
Religion/Creed			

Summary of investigation:	 		

I agree that all of the information on this form is accurate and true to the best of my knowledge.	

Signature: 		
Date: 		

ANTI-BULLYING/HARASSMENT INVESTIGATION PROCEDURES

Employees/volunteers who feel that they have been harassed should:

Communicate to the harasser that the individual expects the behavior to stop, if the individual is comfortable doing so. If the individual wants assistance communicating with the harasser, the individual should ask a teacher, counselor or principal to help.
If the harassment does not stop, or the individual does not feel comfortable confronting the harasser, the individual should:
--	tell a teacher, counselor or principal; and
--	write down exactly what happened, keep a copy and give another copy to the teacher, counselor or principal including;
what, when and where it happened;
who was involved;
exactly what was said or what the harasser did;
witnesses to the harassment;
what the harasser said or did, either at the time or later;
how the employee/volunteer felt; and how the harasser responded

COMPLAINT PROCEDURE
Employees/volunteers who believe that they have been harassed shall notify their supervisor. The supervisor may request that the employee complete the Harassment Complaint form and turn over evidence of the harassment, including, but not limited to, letters, tapes, or pictures. Information received during the investigation shall be kept confidential to the extent possible. Employees/Volunteers who feel they have been harassed should contact the supervisor, however the designated investigator or the alternate investigator may be contacted by employees/volunteers.
The supervisor has the authority to initiate a harassment investigation in the absence of a written complaint. INVESTIGATION PROCEDURE
The supervisor shall reasonably and promptly commence the investigation upon receipt of the complaint.
The supervisor shall interview the complainant and the alleged harasser. The alleged harasser may file a written statement refuting or explaining the behavior outlined in the complaint. The supervisor may also interview witnesses as deemed appropriate. Upon completion of the investigation, the supervisor shall make written findings and conclusions as to each allegation of harassment and report the findings and conclusions to the appropriate people.

ANIT-BULLYING/HARASSMENT INVESTIGATION PROCEDURES

RESOLUTION OF THE COMPLAINT
Prior to the determination of the appropriate remedial action, the supervisor may, at the supervisor’s discretion, interview the complainant and the alleged harasser. The supervisor shall file a written report closing the case and documenting any disciplinary action taken or any other action taken in response to the complaint. The complainant and the alleged harasser shall be informed of the conclusions of the investigation.

POINTS TO REMEMBER IN THE INVESTIGATION
Evidence uncovered in the investigation is confidential.
Complaints must be taken seriously and investigated.
No retaliation will be taken against individual involved in the investigation process.
Retaliators will be disciplined up to and including discharge.

CONFLICTS
If the supervisor is a witness to the incident, the designated investigator will be assigned the complaint.

Date of Adoption: April 25, 1990 Date of Revision: March 9, 1993 Date of Revision: October 11, 1994 Date of Revision: August 14, 2007