School Climate and Bullying Prevention
School Climate and Bullying Prevention
School safety isn’t just about addressing problems that arise, it’s also about supporting student mental health and providing education to prevent conflict in the first place. Learn about how to keep your student safe at school and online, as well as how to report bullying with our bullying prevention resources.
At SCUSD the physical and social/emotional safety of students is a top priority. Media coverage and research alike have shown that bullying can be a real threat to student safety and academic success. In response, SCUSD has developed a comprehensive approach to preventing, addressing, and intervening in bully behavior, helping keep students safe and ensure a healthy learning environment.
What is Bullying?
Bullying is an unwanted aggressive act that includes each of the following components:
- intent to do harm
- repeated over time
- an imbalance of power
Bullying is defined in the SCUSD Board Policy and Administrative Regulations as any severe or pervasive physical or verbal act(s) or conduct, including electronic communications committed by a pupil(s) that has, or can be reasonably predicted to have, the effect of one or more of the following:
- reasonable fear of harm to person or property
- substantially detrimental effect on physical or mental health
- substantial interference with academic performance
- substantial interference with the ability to participate or benefit from school services, activities, or privileges
Types of Bullying
Bullying can be manifested in a variety of forms that include, but are not limited to, the following:
- Cyberbullying
- Physical bullying
- Verbal bullying
- Social or relational bullying
- Non-verbal bullying
- Indirect bullying
Cyberbullying and Social Media Safety
Given the power of social media to provide instant and far-reaching communication, it can be easy to “blame technology”; however, it is a social problem. Parents and caregivers must know when it is appropriate for their child to open and use social media accounts.
What can parents and caregivers do to protect their students on social media?