BP 5131.2 Bullying (Students)

Kern Union HSD

Board Policy
Bullying

 

BP 5131.2

Students

 

 

The Board of Trustees recognizes the harmful effects of bullying on student well-being, student learning, and school attendance and desires to provide a safe school environment that protects students from physical and emotional harm. No individual or group shall, through physical, written, verbal, visual, or other means, harass, sexually harass, threaten, intimidate, cyberbully, cause bodily injury to, or commit hate violence against any student or school personnel, or retaliate against them for filing a complaint or participating in the complaint resolution process.

 

(cf. 5131 - Conduct)

(cf. 5136 - Gangs)

(cf. 5145.3 - Nondiscrimination/Harassment)

(cf. 5145.7 - Sexual Harassment)

(cf. 5145.9 - Hate-Motivated Behavior)

 

The Superintendent or designee shall develop strategies for addressing bullying in district schools with the involvement of students, parents/guardians, and staff. As appropriate, the Superintendent or designee may also collaborate with social services, mental health services, law enforcement, courts, and other agencies and community organizations in the development and implementation of effective strategies to promote safety in schools and the community.

 

(cf. 1400 - Relations Between Other Governmental Agencies and the Schools)

(cf. 6020 - Parent Involvement)

 

Such strategies shall be incorporated into the comprehensive safety plan and, to the extent possible, into the local control and accountability plan and other applicable district and school plans.

 

(cf. 0420 - School Plans/Site Councils)

(cf. 0450 - Comprehensive Safety Plan)

(cf. 0460 - Local Control and Accountability Plan)

 

Any complaint of bullying shall be investigated and, if determined to be discriminatory, resolved in accordance with law and the district's uniform complaint procedures specified in AR 1312.3. If, during the investigation, it is determined that a complaint is about nondiscriminatory bullying, the principal or designee shall inform the complainant and shall take all necessary actions to resolve the complaint.

 

(cf. 1312.3 - Uniform Complaint Procedures)

 

If the Superintendent or designee believes it is in the best interest of a student who has been the victim of an act of bullying, as defined in Education Code 48900, the Superintendent or designee shall advise the student's parents/guardians that the student may transfer to another school. If the parents/guardians of a student who has been the victim of an act of bullying requests a transfer for the student pursuant to Education Code 46600, the Superintendent or designee shall allow the transfer in accordance with law and district policy on intradistrict or interdistrict transfer, as applicable.

 

(cf. 5116.1 - Intradistrict Open Enrollment)

(cf. 5117 - Interdistrict Attendance)

 

Any employee who permits or engages in bullying or retaliation related to bullying shall be subject to disciplinary action, up to and including dismissal.

 

(cf. 4118 - Dismissal/Suspension/Disciplinary Action)

(cf. 4119.21/4219.21/4319.21 - Professional Standards)

(cf. 4218 - Dismissal/Suspension/Disciplinary Action)

 

 

 

Legal Reference:

EDUCATION CODE

200-262.4  Prohibition of discrimination

32282  Comprehensive safety plan

32283.5  Bullying; online training

35181  Governing board policy on responsibilities of students

35291-35291.5  Rules

46600  Student transfers

48900-48925  Suspension or expulsion

48985  Translation of notices

52060-52077  Local control and accountability plan

PENAL CODE

422.55  Definition of hate crime

647  Use of camera or other instrument to invade person's privacy; misdemeanor

647.7  Use of camera or other instrument to invade person's privacy; punishment

653.2  Electronic communication devices, threats to safety

CODE OF REGULATIONS, TITLE 5

4600-4670  Uniform complaint procedures

UNITED STATES CODE, TITLE 47

254  Universal service discounts (e-rate)

CODE OF FEDERAL REGULATIONS, TITLE 28

35.107  Nondiscrimination on basis of disability; complaints

CODE OF FEDERAL REGULATIONS, TITLE 34

104.7  Designation of responsible employee for Section 504

106.8  Designation of responsible employee for Title IX

110.25  Notification of nondiscrimination on the basis of age

COURT DECISIONS                                                                                                                  

Wynar v. Douglas County School District, (2013) 728 F.3d 1062

J.C. v. Beverly Hills Unified School District, (2010) 711 F.Supp.2d 1094

Lavine v. Blaine School District, (2002) 279 F.3d 719

 

Management Resources:

CSBA PUBLICATIONS

Final Guidance:  AB 1266, Transgender and Gender Nonconforming Students, Privacy, Programs, Activities & Facilities, Legal Guidance, March 2014

Providing a Safe, Nondiscriminatory School Environment for Transgender and Gender-Nonconforming Students, Policy Brief, February 2014

Addressing the Conditions of Children:  Focus on Bullying, Governance Brief, December 2012

Safe Schools:  Strategies for Governing Boards to Ensure Student Success, 2011

Cyberbullying:  Policy Considerations for Boards, Policy Brief, rev. July 2010

Building Healthy Communities:  A School Leaders Guide to Collaboration and Community Engagement, 2009

CALIFORNIA DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION PUBLICATIONS

Bullying Module

California's Social and Emotional Learning:  Guiding Principles, 2018

Social and Emotional Learning in California: A Guide to Resources, 2018

Health Education Content Standards for California Public Schools:  Kindergarten Through Grade Twelve, 2008

Bullying at School, 2003

CALIFORNIA OFFICE OF THE ATTORNEY GENERAL PUBLICATIONS

Promoting a Safe and Secure Learning Environment for All:  Guidance and Model Policies to Assist California K-12 Schools in Responding to Immigration Issues, April 2018

U.S. DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION, OFFICE FOR CIVIL RIGHTS PUBLICATIONS

Dear Colleague Letter:  Responding to Bullying of Students with Disabilities, October 2014

Guidance to America's Schools:  Bullying of Students with Disabilities, October 2014

Dear Colleague Letter:  Guidance on Schools' Obligations to Protect Students from Student-on-Student Harassment on the Basis of Sex; Race, Color and National Origin; and Disability, October 26, 2010

Dear Colleague Letter:  Harassment and Bullying, October 2010

WEB SITES

CSBA: http://www.csba.org

California Department of Education, Safe Schools Office: http://www.cde.ca.gov/ls/ss

California Office of the Attorney General: http://oag.ca.gov

Center on Great Teachers and Leaders: http://gtlcenter.org

Collaborative for Academic Social and Emotional Learning: http://casel.org

Common Sense Media: http://www.commonsensemedia.org

National School Safety Center: http://www.schoolsafety.us

Partnership for Children and Youth: http://www.partnerforchildren.org

U.S. Department of Education: http://www.ed.gov

 

 

 

Policy   KERN HIGH SCHOOL DISTRICT

adopted: April 4, 2016            Bakersfield, California

revised:  June 25, 2018

revised:  September 3, 2019
revised: June 7, 2021