Bullying Prevention Plan
SCHOOL: WESTSIDE SECONDARY SCHOOL DATE: SEPTEMBER 3, 2019
Everyone at our school is committed to making our school a safe, inclusive and equitable environment for all. We treat each other with respect and we will refuse to tolerate inequities in any form at our school. We know that a “whole-school” approach where all stakeholders are involved in supporting our students helps create and maintain a positive school climate.
Definition of Bullying
“Bullying” means aggressive and typically repeated behaviour by a student where,
1. The behavior is intended by the student to have the effect of, or the student ought to know that the behavior would be likely to have the effect of,
- causing harm, fear or distress to another individual, including physical, psychological, social or academic harm, harm to the individual’s reputation or harm to the individual’s property, or
- creating a negative environment at a school for another individual, and
2. The behavior occurs in a context where there is a real or perceived power imbalance between the student and the individual based on factors such as size, strength, age, intelligence, peer group power, economic status, social status, religion, ethnic origin, sexual orientation, family circumstances, gender, gender identity, gender expression, race, disability or special education needs.
Bullying takes different forms of contexts with age. It can be physical, verbal, social/emotional or through electronic means (cyber-bullying). Bystanders contribute to bullying by doing nothing to prevent it or become actively involved in supporting it.
“Cyberbullying” includes electronic communication that:
- Is used to upset, threaten or embarrass another person.
- Uses email, cell phones, text messages and social media sites to threaten, harass, embarrass, socially exclude or damage reputations and friendships.
- Includes put downs, insults and can also involve spreading rumours, sharing private information, photos or videos or threatening to harm someone.
Examples of Bullying
- PHYSICAL AGGRESSION: e.g., hitting, pushing, stealing, damaging property
- VERBAL AGGRESSION: e.g., insults, threats, taunting someone in a hurtful way, name calling, making sexist, racist or homophobic comments
- SOCIAL OR RELATIONAL AGGRESSION: e.g., spreading rumours about someone, excluding someone, gossiping
- ELECTRONIC (Cyberbullying): e.g., spreading rumors and/or hurtful comments through the use of email, cell phones (texts) or on social media.
The full Bullying Prevention Plan is available by clicking the link.
Outside agencies that can help include: