Sierra Unified School District

WHAT IS BULLYING?

Bullying is defined as a physical or verbal act(s) that is severe or pervasive AND causes one of the following effects on a reasonable student:

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 in or benefit from school services, activities, or privileges.

School staff who witness bullying shall immediately intervene to stop the incident and investigate the incident when it is safe to do so. Any student, parent, or guardian who believes that the sutdent has been subjected to bullying may file a written complaint.

TYPES OF BULLYING

Physical Bullying

Physical Bullying

An act that inflicts harm upon a person's body or possessions, such as hitting, kicking, pinching, spitting, tripping, pushing, taking or breaking someone's possessions, or making cruel or rude hand gestures.

Verbal Bullying

Verbal Bullying

An act that includes saying or writing hurtful things, such as teasing, name-calling, inappropriate sexual comments, taunting, or threats to cause harm.

Social/Relational Bullying

Social/Relational Bullying

An act that harms a person's reputation or relationships, such as leaving a person out of an activity on purpose, influencing others not to be friends with someone, spreading rumors, or embarrassing someone in public.

Cyberbullying

Cyberbullying

An act that occurs on electronic devices such as computers, tablets, or cell phones, such as sending demeaning or hateful text messages, direct messages or public posts on social media apps, gaming forums, or emails, spreading rumors by email or by posting on social networking sites, shaming or humiliating by allowing others to view, participate in, or share disparaging or harmful content, or posting or sharing embarrassing photos, videos, website, or fake profiles.

BULLYING RESOURCES

BULLYING WARNING SIGNS

There are several warning signs that could indicate that your child is experiencing bullying at school.

Please be on the alert for:

An unexpected drop in grades and/or interest
Unusual moodiness, depression, anxiety, or crying
Frequent headaches or stomach aches
Loss of appetite or Trouble sleeping
Damaged or missing clothing, books, or other belongings
Unexpected bruises, cuts or scratches
Few or no friends to spend time with
Fear of going to school, riding the bus or walking to school
Taking an illogical or long route home

BULLYING RESOURCES

CYBERBULLYING & SOCIAL MEDIA SAFETY

Is Your Child Safe Online?

Did you know…

95% of adolescents in the U.S. are online
60% of them have witnessed online bullying (cyberbullying).

Help stop cyberbullying – monitor your child’s use of social media.

What can parents and caregivers do to protect their students on social media?

Be on the same apps as your children. If your kids use Snapchat, Instagram, etc, set up an account, spend time on the app, have them teach you how it works, get familiar with where private messaging happens on the app, and monitor them regularly. Also be aware of “fake” accounts – many youth will have one account that they allow family to monitor and another that is just for friends. You will always be the best tool for keeping your kids safe.
Talk to your children and remind them that they do not need “honest” feedback from strangers.
Teach your children to avoid gossiping both offline and online – even if they are “anonymous.”
Discuss the dangers of anonymous apps and how they can have an impact on real life.
Follow our suggestions to help your child prepare for the responsibility of being on social media:
- Ages 0-13: Private
- Ages 13: Have a family discussion regarding what should go public
- Age 14-15: Build a personal website and post positive volunteer photos (and accomplishments/projects) online
- Age 17: Colleges should be able to find a positive online footprint for your student

Minimum Age Requirements for Various Social Media Platforms:

Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Pinterest, Tumblr, Kik, and Snapchat: 13 years old
LinkedIn: 14 years old
WhatsApp: 16 years old
Vine and Tinder: 17 years old.

Some platforms, such as YouTube, WeChat and Kik, have a minimum age required of 18,

although kids aged 13-17 can sign up with parent’s permission.