Policies And Procedures: Important For Preventing Peer Bullying Harms
The Ocean County, New Jersey school district is facing another lawsuit.
The parent of a student with autism is suing Central Regional School District and accusing school officials of "willful indifference" to a "hostile, intimidating and abusive education environment" for their child.
According to the allegations in the lawsuit, the student is being bullied because of the child's gender, sexual orientation, and a perception that the child is "disabled".
Previously, the school was sued because a 14-year-old student died by suicide after online videos of her being attacked by classmates were spread on social media. Briana Vannozzi "Another lawsuit against school district over alleged bullying, harassment" https://www.njspotlightnews.org/video/another-lawsuit-against-school-district-over-alleged-bullying-harassment/ (Apr. 20, 2023).
What Can I Do?
Schools must provide safe learning environments for students. Having policies and procedures in place to prevent bullying and harassment can help.
As with all policies, schools must make certain school participants are trained on preventing and reporting bullying and harassment.
Steps educational organizations can take to prevent peer-to peer bullying and harassment:
Educate students on the important role they, as bystanders, in preventing bullying, and stopping disseminating humiliating videos of others.
Empower students to speak up on behalf of the victims of harassment and bullying by providing a method for students to confidentially report harassment and bullying they experience, witness, or hear about.
Conduct bystander intervention training of students to de-escalate bullying
Conduct ongoing training with all members of the school staff on how to recognize a bullying situation and how best to respond.
Develop a procedure for responding to reports of harassment or bullying that involves the parents of all students affected and maintains as much confidentiality as is possible. Allow for counseling help for both the victim and those engaging in bullying if known.
Continue to follow up with the victim of the bullying, counseling them on how to manage any ongoing harassment.
Establish disciplinary procedures for bullying and require students and parents to acknowledge and sign the procedures.
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