3207 (P) - Prohibition of Harassment, Intimidation and Bullying of Students

VERWALTUNGSVERFAHREN Nr. 3207

PROHIBITION OF HARASSMENT, INTIMIDATION, AND BULLYING OF STUDENTS

A. Einleitung
Walla Walla School District strives to provide students with optimal conditions for learning by maintaining a school environment where every student is treated with respect and students are not physically or emotionally harmed.

In order to ensure respect, prevent harm, and improve school climate, it is a violation of district policy for a student to be harassed, intimidated, or bullied by other students in the school community, at school-sponsored events, or when such actions create a substantial disruption to the educational process. Student(s) will not be harassed because of their race, color, religion, ancestry, national origin, gender, sexual orientation, including gender expression or identity, mental or physical disability, or other distinguishing characteristics.

Any school staff who observes, overhears, or otherwise witnesses harassment, intimidation, or bullying of a student or to whom such actions have been reported must take prompt and appropriate action to stop the harassment, intimidation, or bullying, prevent its reoccurrence and report it to the building level administrator and/or district HIB Compliance Officer.

B. Definitionen
Aggressor means a student who harasses, intimidates, or bullies of another student.

Belästigung, Einschüchterung oder Mobbing – bedeutet eine vorsätzliche elektronische, schriftliche, verbale oder physische Handlung, die:
• einem Schüler körperlichen Schaden zufügt oder das Eigentum des Schülers beschädigt;
• Hat zur Folge, dass die Ausbildung eines Schülers erheblich beeinträchtigt wird;
• so schwerwiegend, hartnäckig oder allgegenwärtig ist, dass es ein einschüchterndes oder bedrohliches Bildungsumfeld schafft; oder
• den ordnungsgemäßen Schulbetrieb erheblich stören.

Conduct that is “substantially interfering with a student’s education” will be determined by considering a targeted student’s grades, attendance, demeanor, interaction with peers, participation in activities, and other indicators.

Verhaltensweisen, die zu Belästigung, Einschüchterung und Mobbing führen können, können viele Formen annehmen, einschließlich, aber nicht beschränkt auf: Beleidigungen, Gerüchte, Witze, Anspielungen, erniedrigende Kommentare, Zeichnungen, Cartoons, Streiche, Ausgrenzung, körperliche Angriffe oder Drohungen, Gesten oder Handlungen, die sich auf eine Einzelperson oder Gruppe beziehen, seien es elektronische, schriftliche, mündliche oder physisch übertragene Nachrichten oder Bilder. Es ist nicht erforderlich, dass der betroffene Schüler tatsächlich die Eigenschaft besitzt, die der Belästigung, Einschüchterung oder dem Mobbing zugrunde liegt.

This procedure does not govern harassment, intimidation, or bullying toward or by an employee, volunteer, parent/legal guardian, or community member.

Retaliation occurs when a student is intimidated, threatened, coerced, or discriminated against for reporting harassment, intimidation, or bullying, or participating in an investigation.

Staff includes, but is not limited to, educators, administrators, counselors, school nurses, cafeteria workers, custodians, bus drivers, athletic coaches, advisors to extracurricular activities, classified staff, substitute and temporary teachers, volunteers, or paraprofessionals (both employees and contractors).

Targeted Student means a student against whom harassment, intimidation, or bullying has allegedly been perpetrated.

Complainant means the person who has reported the harassment, intimidation, or bullying.

C. Verhalten/Ausdrücke
“Harassment,’ ‘intimidation,’ and ‘bullying’ are separate but related behaviors directed toward students. Although this procedure defines the three behaviors, this differentiation should not be considered part of the legal definition of these behaviors. RCW 28A.600.477 presents HIB as a broad and inclusive term and it is not meant to place undue emphasis on whether the behavior is “harassment,” or “intimidation,” or “bullying.”

Harassment refers to any malicious act, which causes harm to any student's physical well being. It can be discriminatory harassment, malicious harassment, or sexual harassment. Intimidation refers to implied or overt threats of physical violence toward a student. Bullying refers to unwanted aggressive behavior(s) by a student or group of students toward another student and that involves an observed or perceived power imbalance and is repeated multiple times or is highly likely to be repeated. Bullying may inflict harm on the targeted student including physical or educational harm. Bullying can also occur through technology and is called electronic bullying or cyberbullying.

It is considered a violation of the state HIB law if any of the above behaviors are occurring.

D. Verhältnis zu anderen Gesetzen
This procedure applies only to conduct toward students as reflected in RCW 28A.600.477 – Prohibition of Harassment, Intimidation and Bullying. There are other laws and procedures to address related issues such as sexual harassment or discrimination.

 
Mindestens vier Washingtoner Gesetze können für Belästigung oder Diskriminierung gelten:
• RCW 28A.600.477 – Prohibition of Harassment, Intimidation and Bullying
• RCW 28A.640.020 – Sexuelle Belästigung
• RCW 28A.642 – Diskriminierungsverbot an öffentlichen Schulen
• RCW 49.60.010 – Das Gesetz gegen Diskriminierung

The district will ensure its compliance with all state laws regarding harassment, intimidation or bullying of a student. Nothing in this procedure prevents a student, parent/guardian, school or district from taking action to remediate harassment or discrimination based on a student’s membership in a legally protected class under local, state, or federal law.

E. Prävention
1. Verbreitung
In each school and on the district’s website, the district will prominently post information, as provided by OSPI, on reporting harassment, intimidation, and bullying; the name and contact information for making a report to a school administrator; and the name and contact information for the district HIB Compliance Officer. The district’s policy and procedure will be available in each school in a language that families can understand.

Annually, the superintendent will ensure that language provided by OSPI summarizing the policy and procedure is provided in student, staff, volunteer, and parent handbooks, is available in school and district offices and/or hallways, and is posted on the district’s website.

Additional distribution of the policy and procedure is subject to the requirements of chapter Code 392-405 WAC.

2. Ausbildung
Annually, students will receive age-appropriate information on the recognition and prevention of harassment, intimidation, or bullying at student orientation sessions and on other appropriate occasions. The information will include a copy of the Incident Reporting Form or a link to a web-based form.

3 . Schulung
The district HIB Compliance Officer will participate in at least one mandatory training opportunity offered by OSPI. As feasible, the district’s HIB Compliance Officer will attend annual training as a refresher course, particularly in the event that changes in the HIB law or process occur. Staff will receive annual training on the school district’s policy and procedure, including staff roles and responsibilities, and the use of the district’s Incident Reporting Form.
 
4. Präventionsstrategien
Der Distrikt wird eine Reihe von Präventionsstrategien umsetzen, darunter Ansätze auf individueller, Klassenzimmer-, Schul- und Distriktebene.

Wann immer möglich, wird der Distrikt evidenzbasierte Präventionsprogramme durchführen, die darauf abzielen, die soziale Kompetenz zu steigern, das Schulklima zu verbessern und Belästigung, Einschüchterung und Mobbing in Schulen zu beseitigen.

F. Compliance-Beauftragter
Der Distrikt-Compliance-Beauftragte wird:
1. Serve as the district’s primary contact for harassment, intimidation, and bullying of a student. If any district staff member receives allegations in a written report of harassment, intimidation, or bullying that indicate a potential violation of Policy 3207, that staff member must promptly notify the district compliance officer.

2. Unterstützung und Unterstützung des Auftraggebers oder Beauftragten bei der Lösung von Beschwerden;

3. Erhalten Sie Kopien aller Vorfallmeldeformulare, Überweisungsformulare für Disziplinarmaßnahmen und Briefe an die Eltern, in denen die Ergebnisse der Untersuchungen mitgeteilt werden.

4. Communicate with the school district’s designated civil rights compliance coordinator. If a written report of harassment, intimidation, or bullying of a student indicates a potential violation of the district’s nondiscrimination policy [Policy 3210], or if during the course of an investigation, the district becomes aware of a potential violation of the district’s nondiscrimination policy, the compliance officer must promptly notify the district’s civil rights compliance coordinator. At that time, the compliance officers must promptly notify the complainant that their complaint will proceed under both this policy/procedure and the nondiscrimination policy/procedure. The investigation and response timeline for the nondiscrimination procedure begin when the school district knows or should have known that a written report or investigation or Harassment, Intimidation, or Bullying involves a potential violation of the district’s nondiscrimination policy;

5. Machen Sie sich mit der Nutzung des Studierendeninformationssystems vertraut. Der Compliance-Beauftragte kann diese Informationen verwenden, um Verhaltensmuster und Problembereiche zu identifizieren;

6. Gewährleistung der Umsetzung der Richtlinien und Verfahren durch Beaufsichtigung der Untersuchungsprozesse, einschließlich der Sicherstellung, dass die Untersuchungen unverzüglich, unparteiisch und gründlich sind;

7. Assess the training needs of staff and students to ensure successful implementation throughout the district, and ensure staff receive annual training.

8. Informieren Sie das OSPI School Safety Center jährlich über Richtlinien- oder Verfahrensaktualisierungen oder -änderungen.

9. In cases where, despite school efforts, a targeted student experiences harassment, intimidation, or bullying that threatens the student’s health and safety, the compliance officer will facilitate a meeting between district staff and the child’s parents/guardians to develop a safety plan to protect the student.
10. The district will provide updated names and contact information to OSPI after a change of the district’s HIB Compliance Officer.

G. Intervention des Personals
All staff members will intervene and report when witnessing or receiving reports of harassment, intimidation or bullying of a student. Incidents that do not meet the definition of harassment, intimidation, or bullying, or conduct not directed toward a student may require no further action under this procedure.

H. Einreichen eines Vorfallmeldeformulars
Incident Reporting Forms may be used by students, families, or staff to report incidents of harassment, intimidation, or bullying of a student.

Any student or students who believe they have been the target of unresolved, severe, or r persistent harassment, intimidation, or bullying, or any other person in the school community who observes or receives notice that a student has or may have been the target of unresolved, severe, or persistent harassment, intimidation, or bullying may report incidents verbally or in writing to any staff member.

The district must provide an incident report form to students, families, or staff, if requested.

I. Umgang mit Mobbing – Berichte

Schritt 1: Einreichen eines Vorfallmeldeformulars
In order to protect a targeted student from retaliation, a student need not reveal their identity on an Incident Reporting Form. The form may be filed anonymously, confidentially, or the student may choose to disclose their identity (non-confidential).

Status des Reporters
a. Anonym
Individuals may file a report without revealing their identity. No disciplinary action will be taken against an alleged aggressor based solely on an anonymous report. Schools may identify complaint boxes or develop other methods for receiving anonymous, unsigned reports. Possible responses to an anonymous report include enhanced monitoring of specific locations at certain times of day or increased monitoring of specific students or staff. (Example: An unsigned Incident Reporting Form dropped on a teacher’s desk led to the increased monitoring of the boys’ locker room in 5th period.)

b. Geheim
Individuals may ask that their identities be kept secret from the accused and other students. Like anonymous reports, no disciplinary action will be taken against an alleged aggressor based solely on a confidential report. (Example: A student tells a playground supervisor about a classmate being bullied but asks that nobody know who reported the incident. The supervisor says, “I won’t be able to punish the bullies unless you or someone else who saw it is willing to let me use their names, but I can start hanging out near the basketball court, if that would help.”)

c. Nicht vertraulich
Einzelpersonen können zustimmen, einen Bericht nicht vertraulich einzureichen. Beschwerdeführer, die zustimmen, ihre Beschwerde nicht vertraulich zu behandeln, werden darüber informiert, dass die Anforderungen an ein ordnungsgemäßes Verfahren erfordern können, dass der Distrikt alle Informationen, die er über die Beschwerde hat, an alle an dem Vorfall beteiligten Personen weitergibt, dass die Informationen jedoch auch dann noch eingeschränkt sind für diejenigen, die es wissen müssen, sowohl während als auch nach der Untersuchung. Der Distrikt wird jedoch die Anti-Vergeltungs-Bestimmung dieser Richtlinie und dieses Verfahrens vollständig umsetzen, um Beschwerdeführer und Zeugen zu schützen.

Schritt 2: Erhalt eines Vorfallmeldeformulars
All staff are responsible for receiving oral and written reports. Whenever possible staff who initially receive an oral or written report of harassment, intimidation, or bullying of a student will attempt to resolve the incident immediately. If the incident is resolved to the satisfaction of the parties involved, if the incident does not meet the definition of harassment, intimidation, or bullying, or if the conduct is not directed toward a student, no further action may be necessary under this procedure. If the parties involved are not satisfied with the attempt to resolve the situation, the staff member will notify the HIB Compliance Officer, the parties will be provided with a HIB Incident Report form, and given the opportunity to complete the form, thereby initiating the process for an official HIB investigation.

All reports of unresolved, severe, or persistent harassment, intimidation, or bullying of a student will be recorded on the district Incident Reporting Form and submitted to the principal or designee. Once recorded, the principal or designee must communicate with the district HIB Compliance Officer regarding the complaints.

Schritt 3: Untersuchungen von ungelöster, schwerer oder anhaltender Belästigung, Einschüchterung und Mobbing
All reports of unresolved, severe, or persistent harassment, intimidation, or bullying of a student will be investigated with reasonable promptness. Any student may have a trusted adult with them throughout the report and investigation process.

a. Upon receipt of the Incident Reporting Form that alleges unresolved, severe, or persistent harassment, intimidation or bullying of a student, the school or district designee will begin the investigation. If there is potential for clear and immediate physical harm to the complainant, the district will immediately contact law enforcement and inform the parent/guardian.

b. During the course of the investigation, the district will take reasonable measures to ensure that no further incidents of harassment, intimidation, or bullying occur between the complainant, targeted student, and or the alleged aggressor. If necessary, the district will implement a safety plan for the student(s) involved. The plan may include changing seating arrangements for the complainant, targeted student and/or the alleged aggressor in the classroom, at lunch, or on the bus; identifying a staff member who will act as a safe person for the complainant; altering the alleged aggressor’s schedule and access to the complainant, and other measures.

If, during the course of an investigation, the district employee conducting the investigation becomes aware of a potential violation of the district’s nondiscrimination policy [Policy 3210], the investigator will promptly notify the district’s civil rights compliance officer. Upon receipt of this information, the civil rights compliance officer must notify the complainant that their complaint will proceed under the discrimination complaint procedure in WAC 392-190-066 through WAC 392-190-075 as well as the HIB complaint procedure. The notice must be provided in a language that the complainant can understand. The investigation and response timeline for the discrimination complaint procedure will follow that set forth in WAC 392-190-065 and begins when the district knows or should have known that a written report of harassment, intimidation or bullying involves allegations of a violation of the district’s nondiscrimination policy.

c. Within two (2) school days after receiving the Incident Reporting Form, the school designee will notify the families of the students involved that a complaint was received and direct the families to the district’s policy and procedure on harassment, intimidation, and bullying.

d. In rare cases, where after consultation with the student and appropriate staff (such as a psychologist, counselor, or social worker) the district has evidence that it would threaten the health and safety of the complainant or the alleged aggressor to involve their parent/guardian, the district may initially refrain from contacting the parent/guardian in its investigation of harassment, intimidation, and bullying of a student. If professional school personnel suspect that a student is subject to abuse and neglect, they must follow district policy for reporting suspected cases to Child Protective Services.

e. Die Untersuchung umfasst mindestens:
• Ein Gespräch mit dem Beschwerdeführer.
• An interview with the targeted student, if different than the complainant;
• Ein Interview mit dem mutmaßlichen Angreifer.
• A review of any previous complaints involving the complainant, the targeted student, or the alleged aggressor.
• Interviews mit anderen Studenten oder Mitarbeitern, die Kenntnis von dem angeblichen Vorfall haben könnten.

f. Der Auftraggeber oder Beauftragte kann bestimmen, dass weitere Schritte unternommen werden müssen, bevor die Untersuchung abgeschlossen ist.

g. Die Untersuchung wird so bald wie möglich abgeschlossen, im Allgemeinen jedoch nicht später als fünf (5) Schultage nach der ursprünglichen Beschwerde oder Meldung. Wenn mehr Zeit benötigt wird, um eine Untersuchung abzuschließen, wird der Distrikt die Eltern/Erziehungsberechtigten und/oder den Schüler wöchentlich auf dem Laufenden halten.

h. Spätestens zwei (2) Schultage, nachdem die Untersuchung abgeschlossen und dem Compliance-Beauftragten vorgelegt wurde, muss der Schulleiter oder Beauftragte den Eltern/Erziehungsberechtigten des Beschwerdeführers und des mutmaßlichen Angreifers schriftlich oder persönlich antworten und Folgendes angeben:
• Die Ergebnisse der Untersuchung.
• Ob sich die Behauptungen als sachlich erwiesen haben.
• Ob ein Richtlinienverstoß vorliegt.
• Das Verfahren für den Beschwerdeführer, Einspruch einzulegen, wenn der Beschwerdeführer mit den Ergebnissen nicht einverstanden ist.

Because of the legal requirement regarding the confidentiality of student records, the principal or designee may not be able to report specific information to the targeted student’s parent/guardian about any disciplinary action taken unless it involves a directive that the targeted student must be aware of in order to report violations.

If a district chooses to contact the parent/guardian by letter, the letter will be mailed to the parent/guardian of the complainant and alleged aggressor by United States postal service with return receipt requested unless it is determined, after consultation with the student and appropriate staff (psychologist, counselor, social worker) that it could endanger the complainant or the alleged aggressor to involve their family. If professional school personnel suspect that a student is subject to abuse or neglect, as mandatory reporters they must follow district policy for reporting suspected cases to Child Protective Services.

Wenn der Vorfall nicht auf Schulebene gelöst werden kann, ersucht der Schulleiter oder Beauftragte den Distrikt um Unterstützung.

Schritt 4: Korrekturmaßnahmen für den Angreifer
Nach Abschluss der Untersuchung wird der Schul- oder Bezirksbeauftragte alle erforderlichen Korrekturmaßnahmen einleiten. Korrekturmaßnahmen werden so schnell wie möglich eingeleitet, in keinem Fall jedoch später als fünf (5) Schultage, nachdem Kontakt mit den Familien oder Erziehungsberechtigten bezüglich des Ergebnisses der Untersuchung aufgenommen wurde. Korrekturmaßnahmen, die die Schülerdisziplin betreffen, werden gemäß der Distriktrichtlinie 3241, Klassenzimmerverwaltung, Disziplin und Korrekturmaßnahmen, umgesetzt. Wenn der beschuldigte Aggressor gegen die Verhängung von Disziplinarmaßnahmen Einspruch einlegt, kann der Distrikt durch prozessuale Erwägungen oder eine rechtmäßige Anordnung daran gehindert werden, die Disziplinarmaßnahme zu verhängen, bis das Berufungsverfahren abgeschlossen ist.

If in an investigation a principal or principal’s designee found that a student knowingly made a false allegation of harassment, intimidation, or bullying, that student may be subject to corrective measures, including discipline.

Step 5: Complainant’s Right to Appeal
1. If the complainant or parent/guardian is dissatisfied with the results of the investigation, they may appeal to the superintendent or their designee by filing a written notice of appeal within five (5) school days of receiving the written decision. The superintendent or their designee will review the investigative report and issue a written decision on the merits of the appeal within five (5) school days of receiving the notice of appeal.

2. If the complainant remains dissatisfied after the initial appeal to the superintendent, the student may appeal to the school board by filing a written notice of appeal with the secretary of the school board on or before the fifth (5) school day following the date upon which the complainant received the superintendent’s written decision.

3. An appeal before the school board or disciplinary appeal council must be heard on or before the tenth (10) school day following the filing of the written notice of appeal to the school board. The school board or disciplinary appeal council will review the record and render a written decision on the merits of the appeal on or before the fifth (5) school day following the termination of the hearing, and shall provide a copy to all parties involved. The board or council’s decision will be the final district decision.

Schritt 6: Disziplinar-/Korrekturmaßnahmen
The district will take prompt and equitable corrective measures within its authority on findings of harassment, intimidation, or bullying of a student. Depending on the severity of the conduct, corrective measures may include counseling, education, discipline, and/or referral to law enforcement.

Corrective measures for a student who commits an act of harassment, intimidation, or bullying will be varied and graded according to the nature of the behavior, the developmental age of the student, or the student’s history of problem behaviors and performance. Corrective measures that involve student discipline will be implemented according to district policy and procedure 3241, Student Discipline.

Wenn das Verhalten öffentlicher Natur war oder Gruppen von Schülern oder Zuschauern beteiligt waren, sollte der Distrikt dringend schulweite Schulungen oder andere Aktivitäten in Betracht ziehen, um den Vorfall anzugehen.

If staff have been found to be in violation of this policy and procedure by not reporting harassment, intimidation, or bullying or not preventing retaliation, school districts may impose employment disciplinary action, up to and including termination. If a certificated educator is found to have committed a violation of WAC 181-87, commonly called the Code of Conduct for Professional Educators, OSPI’s Office of Professional Practices may propose disciplinary action on a certificate, up to and including revocation. Contractor violations of this policy may include the loss of contracts.

Schritt 7: Unterstützung für den Zielstudenten
Personen, bei denen festgestellt wird, dass sie Belästigung, Einschüchterung oder Mobbing ausgesetzt waren, werden geeignete Unterstützungsdienste des Distrikts zur Verfügung gestellt, und die nachteiligen Auswirkungen der Belästigung auf den Schüler werden angemessen angegangen und behoben.

J. Immunität/Vergeltung
No school employee, student, or volunteer may engage in reprisal or retaliation against a targeted student, witness, or other person who brings forward information about an alleged act of harassment, intimidation, or bullying of a student. Retaliation is prohibited and will result in appropriate discipline.

K. Andere Ressourcen
Students and families should use the district’s complaint and appeal procedures as a first response to allegations of harassment, intimidation, and bullying of a student. However, nothing in this procedure prevents a student, parent/guardian, school, or district from taking action to remediate discrimination or harassment based on a person’s membership in a legally protected class under local, state or federal law.

 
For questions or more information, students and families can reach out to the following state or federal agencies:

• OSPI-Büro für Gerechtigkeit und Bürgerrechte
(360) 725-6162
Email: Equity@k12.wa.us
www.k12.wa.us/Equity/default.aspx

• Menschenrechtskommission des Staates Washington
1 (800) 233-3247
www.hum.wa.gov/index.html

• Büro für Bürgerrechte, US-Bildungsministerium, Region IX
(206) 607-1600
Email: OCR.Seattle@ed.gov
www.ed.gov/about/offices/list/ocr/index.html

• Community Relations Service des Justizministeriums
1 (877) 292-3804
www.justice.gov/crt/

• Büro des Bildungsombudsmanns
1 (866) 297-2597 Email: OEOinfo@gov.wa.gov
www.governor.wa.gov/oeo/default.asp

• OSPI-Sicherheitszentrum
(360) 725-6044
http://www.k12.wa.us/SafetyCenter/BullyingHarassment/default.aspx

L. Andere Distriktrichtlinien und -verfahren
Nothing in this policy or procedure is intended to prohibit discipline or remedial action for inappropriate behaviors that do not rise to the level of harassment, intimidation, or bullying as defined in this procedure, but which are, or may be, prohibited by other district or school rules.

Überarbeitet: April 2024