ANTI-BULLYING AND INTIMIDATION PROHIBITION POLICY
BP/AR 5131.2
Bullying is unwanted, aggressive behavior that involves a real or perceived power imbalance. The behavior is often repeated or has the potential to be repeated over time. Bullying includes actions such as making threats, spreading rumors, attacking someone physically or verbally, and excluding someone from a group on purpose.
San Diego Unified is committed to providing all students with a safe learning environment where everyone is treated with respect, and no one is physically or emotionally harmed. Bullying or intimidation in any form is prohibited at school or school-related events (including off-campus events, school-sponsored activities, school buses and any event related to school business) or outside of school hours with the intention to be carried out during any of the above. The district also prohibits the inciting, aiding, coercing, or directing of others to commit acts of bullying, cyberbullying or intimidation.
Such acts include those that are reasonably considered as being motivated either by an actual or perceived attribute that includes but is not limited to race, religion, creed, color, marital status, parental status, veteran status, sex, sexual orientation, gender expression or identity, ancestry, national origin, ethnic group identification, age, mental or physical disability or any other distinguishing characteristic.
Any staff member who observes, overhears, or otherwise witnesses such actions or to whom such actions have been reported must take prompt and appropriate action to stop the behavior and prevent its reoccurrence.
Students who observe, overhear, or otherwise witness such actions must report them to a staff member. Parents/guardians and district visitors are encouraged to report these behaviors to a staff member. At each school, the principal or principal’s designee is responsible for receiving and promptly investigating complaints alleging violations of this policy. Any form of retaliation in response to a report of such acts is prohibited. Complete information is available at https://www.sandiegounified.org/about/anti_bullying/anti_bullying_and_intimidation
REPORTING FORM
This form should be used to report a possible incident of bullying as defined in the San Diego Unified District's Policy prohibiting bullying and harassment. Any student/adult can report bullying or harassment by talking to an Administrator, completing this online form, or completing a paper form available in the Muirlands' Office and returning it to a Counselor or Administrator. If you believe that a student is in IMMEDIATE danger, please immediately report the incident to a Muirlands School Counselor or Administrator. Thank you for helping keep Muirlands Middle School Bully-free! Intentional false reporting can lead to disciplinary action.
All incidents of bullying are serious and need to be addressed. Please fill in this form to report any bullying incident.
Bullying vs. Conflict
We need to clearly identify the difference between conflict and bullying, in order to appropriately respond to bullying incidents. While the two seem similar in some instances, there is actually a distinct difference.
Two female members of the school basketball team are arguing with each other over the loss of a recent game. One of the girls is blaming the other for letting the opposing team knock the ball out of her hands before she could throw it. The other girl is saying it's her teammate's fault because she didn't pass the ball to her during the last few seconds of the game. They continue to fight until their coach gets involved and tells the girls to stop arguing.
This is an example of conflict. Both girls have equal power and are disagreeing over the outcome of a game. Neither is threatened or harmed, and neither is showing signs of humiliation or distress.
If one of the girls continued to blame the other and started calling her names, taunting her outside of the gymnasium or even getting others to gang up on her for the purpose of hurting her feelings or alienating her from her team and peers, that would be considered bullying.
Muirlands Safe to Speak Bullying Report Form