Bullying Law

Bully Law Updates & Information

AN ACT CONCERNING SCHOOL LEARNING ENVIRONMENT

On and after July 1, 2009, an in-school suspension may be served in the school that the pupil attends, or in any school building under the jurisdiction of the local or regional board of education, as determined by such board and implement a policy in writing and made under this section, except that no disciplinary action shall be taken solely on the basis of an anonymous report, that comes with a prevention strategy, as defined by this act. Each school is to notify the parents/guardians of the the students who commit any verified acts of bullying, and invite them to attend at least one meeting. Within available appropriations, report such number to the Department of Education, annually and in such manner as prescribed by the Commissioner of Education and identify the appropriate school personnel, which may include, but shall not be limited to, pupil services personnel, responsible for taking a bullying report and investigating the complaint and were committed more than once against any student during the school year.

** February 1, 2009, each local and regional board of education shall submit the policy developed pursuant to this section to the Department of Education. Not later than July 1, 2009, each local or regional board of education shall ensure that the policy is included in the school district's publication of the rules, procedures and standards of conduct for schools and in all students handbook and prevention of bullying, as defined in the subsection of education that implement an evidence-based model approach, consistent with this act, shall not be required to provide in-service training on prevention of bullying and suicide.

AN ACT CONCERNING BEHAVIOR IN SCHOOLS

Requires boards of education to develop a policy to address bullying. Requires the policy to: enable students to anonymously reports acts of bullying: enable parents/guardians to file written reports of suspected bullying: require teachers and school personnel to report witnessed acts of bullying to school administrators: require school administrators to investigate any written reports of bullying submitted to them: requires parents/guardians of both suspected bullies and victims of bullying to be notified: requires schools to keep a record, open to public inspection, of all verified acts of bullying and the school's response to those acts:requires intervention strategy for school staff to deal with bullying and language in school codes of conduct that addresses bullying behavior.

NORWICH PUBLIC SCHOOLS' POLICY FOR BULLYING BEHAVIOR

The Norwich Public Schools promotes a secure and productive educational environment conductive to teaching and learning that is free from threat, harassment, and any type of bullying behavior. Therefore, it is the policy of the Norwich Public Schools that bullying of a student by (an) other student(s) on school grounds or at a school-sponsored activity is prohibited. For purposes of this policy, School-Sponsored Activity shall mean any activity conducted on or off school property( including school buses and other school-related vehicles) that is sponsored, recognized or authorized by the Board of Education. Bullying, as defined by Connecticut Statue, is " any overt acts by a student or groups of students directed against another student with the intent to ridicule,humiliate, or intimidate the other student while on school grounds or at a school-sponsored activity, which acts are repeated against the same student over time."

Bullying takes many forms and can involve many different behaviors, including, but not limited to:

1. Physical violence and / or attacks.

2. Verbal taunts, name-calling, and put-downs, including ethnically-based and gender-based verbal put-downs.

3. Threats and / or intimidation.

4. Extortion or stealing of money and/ or possessions.

This policy provides the following:

1. Permits the anonymous reports of bullying by students and permits parents/guardians to file written reports of suspected bullying with school personnel.

2. Requires teachers and other school personnel who witness acts of bullying or receive student reports of bullying to notify school administrators.

3. Requires school administrators to investigate parent/guardian written reports of suspected bullying and review anonymous student reports.

4. Requires the school to have an intervention strategy for school personnel to deal with bullying and provide for the inclusion of language in the student code of conduct concerning bullying.

5. Requires notice to parents/guardians of all students involved in verified acts of bullying. This notice shall describe the school's response and any consequences that may result from further acts of bullying. Any information provided under this policy shall be provided in accordance with the confidentiality restrictions imposed under the Family Education Rights and Privacy Act.(FERPA) and the Board's policy and regulations concerning "Confidentiality and Access to Student Information."

6. Requires the school to maintain a list of the number of verified acts of bullying and , upon request, make such list available for public inspection.

A student who engages in any act of bullying is subject to appropriate disciplinary action, up to and including expulsion, in accordance with the Board's policy on Student Discipline. The Board directs the administration to develop a comprehensive program, involving students,school staff, and member of the community, to address bullying at all levels. The Board directs the administration to promote consistent enforcement of all policies pertaining to conduct and modeling appropriate behavior at school and at home with the goal of reducing the effect of bullying. Through its Bullying Policy, the Board intends to promote the concept that care for others is a valued quality, one that is accepted and encouraged. The administration shall develop procedures that carry out the provisions of the policy. The Administration shall publish the schools' disciplinary structure addressing bullying in the Norwich Public Schools Student Handbook.