Bullying – means any repeated or pervasive written, verbal or electronic expression, physical act or gesture, or a pattern thereof, that is intended to, or does, cause distress upon one or more students in the school, on school grounds, in a digital or cyber environment, in school vehicles, at a designated bus stop, at school activities or sanctioned events. Bullying includes, but is not limited to, hazing, harassment, intimidation, physical or verbal threats of harm or menacing acts of a student in a traditional or physical environment as well as in a digital or cyber environment, which may, but need not be, based on the student’s race, color, sex, ethnicity, national origin, gender, religion, disability, age, sexual orientation or gender identity.
Cyber-Bullying – means any act of bullying, as defined herein, using social media networking sites (such as Facebook, Twitter, MySpace, and YouTube), electronic mail, text messages, telephone calls, and chat rooms through the Internet, cellular phones, I-Pods, I-Pads, computers, or other communication devices. Examples of cyber-bullying include but are not limited to using any of the foregoing communication devices to: intentionally harm others through hostile text messages; post images intended to hurt or embarrass another person; post rumors or gossip about a person, bringing about hatred or humiliation in other’s minds; or personally identify victims or publish materials defaming or humiliating them because of their race, color, religion, national origin, gender, disability, age, or sexual orientation.
Name-Calling – means the chronic, habitual, or recurring use of names or comments to or about a student regarding the student’s actual or perceived physical or personal characteristics when the student has indicated by his or her conduct, that the names or comments are unwelcome, or when the names or comments are clearly unwelcome, inappropriate, or offensive by their nature.
Harassment Based on Protected Characteristics– means verbal or physical conduct that denigrates or shows hostility or aversion toward an individual because of his or her race, color, religion, national origin, gender, religion, disability, age or sexual orientation, and that:
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Has the purpose or effect of creating an intimidating, hostile, or offensive work and/or learning environment;
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Has the purpose or effect of unreasonably interfering with the student’s ability to benefit from any educational program or service provided by the District; and
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Is so offensive or pervasive as to adversely effect the educational performance of the student.
Sexual Harassment Of Students By Students – is further addressed by a separate policy of the Board. (See Policy No. JCDAC)
Hazing – includes, but is not limited to:
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Engaging in any offensive or dangerous physical contact, restraint, abduction, or isolation of a student, or
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Requiring or encouraging a student to perform any dangerous, painful, offensive, or demeaning physical or verbal act, including but not limited to the ingestion of any substance, exposure to the elements, deprivation of sleep or rest, or extensive isolation, or
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Subjecting a student to any dangerous, painful, harmful, offensive, or demeaning conduct, or to conduct reasonably likely to create extreme mental distress, as a condition of membership in, or initiation into, any class, team, group, or organization sponsored by, or permitted to operate under, the auspices of, a school of the District, or for similar or related purposes, provided, that such conduct shall not be considered hazing when it is a recognized and integral part of the particular sport or activity.