POLICY—JICFA—HAZING AND BULLYING

SECTION J:   POLICY—JICFA—HAZING AND BULLYING

DISTRICT CODE:

JICFA

ADOPTED:

9.20.11

RESCINDS:

JICFA

ADOPTED:

5.4.10

BOARD POLICY

1. The Board of Education is committed to providing a safe and orderly environment for all students and employees that engenders respect, civility, and dignity.  Hazing and bullying activities are abusive and illegal behaviors that harm victims and negatively impact the school environment by creating an atmosphere of fear, distrust, and mean-spiritedness.     It is the purpose of this policy to establish and preserve an educational environment free from hazing or bullying activities.  

2. The Board authorizes the Superintendent and the District Administration to adopt administrative regulations for student discipline consistent with this policy to preserve an educational environment free from hazing or bullying activities.

DISTRICT CODE:

JICFA-R

APPROVED:

9.20.11

ADMINISTRATIVE REGULATION—JICFA—R

1. Canyons School District (CSD) strictly prohibits any student or school employee from engaging individually or collectively in any form of hazing or bullying on school property, in conjunction with any school activity, or involving any person associated with a school activity regardless of where it occurs.  Students or school employees who initiate, promote, and/or engage in hazing, bullying, cyberbullying, harassment, or retaliation activities will face disciplinary action, up to and including suspension, expulsion, loss of participation in extracurricular activities, probation, and/or termination of employment. In addition, conduct that may rise to level of suspect criminal activity will be referred to law enforcement.

2. This regulation does not prohibit expressive activity protected by the First Amendment of the United States Constitution.

DISTRICT CODE:

JICFA-R-1

APPROVED:

9.20.11

ADMINISTRATIVE REGULATION—JICFA—R-1 (Student Discipline)

1. Students who initiate, promote, and/or engage in hazing, bullying, cyberbullying, or retaliation activity shall be subject to discipline under the District’s student discipline policy.

2. Students who observe hazing, bullying, cyberbullying, or retaliation activities have a duty to report such behavior to school administration.  Students that fail to report such behavior are subject to appropriate disciplinary sanctions under the District’s student discipline policy.

3. Students who make false allegations of hazing, bullying, cyberbullying, harassment, or retaliation activity may be subject to disciplinary action, up to and including:  

3.1.         positive behavioral interventions;

3.2.         suspension; or

3.3.         loss of participation in extracurricular activities for students.  

DISTRICT CODE:

JICFA-R-2

APPROVED:

9.20.11

ADMINISTRATIVE REGULATION—JICFA—R-2 (School Employee Discipline)

1. School employees who initiate, promote, and/or engage in hazing, bullying, cyberbullying, harassment, or retaliation activities shall be subject to adverse employment action, including probation or termination for cause under the District’s orderly termination policies.

2. School employees who become aware of hazing, bullying, cyberbullying, or harassment activity shall promptly report the incident to the principal or his/her designee so that the incident can be promptly investigated and appropriate action taken.

3. School employees who fail to give notice to his/her immediate supervisor required under this policy have committed an unprofessional practice and shall be subject to adverse employment action, including probation and termination for cause under the District’s orderly termination policies and may result in discipline against an educator’s license.

4. School employees who make a false allegation of hazing, bullying, cyberbullying, harassment, or retaliation activity may be subject to discipline.

DISTRICT CODE:

JICFA-R-3

APPROVED:

9.20.11

ADMINISTRATIVE REGULATION—JICFA—R-3 (Notice and Reporting Requirements)

1. The Office of the Superintendent authorizes the District Administration to adopt procedures to allow for anonymous reporting of hazing, bullying, cyberbullying, harassment, or retaliation activities.  A report of hazing, bullying, cyberbullying, harassment, or retaliation activity may be made anonymously, but formal disciplinary action may not be based solely on the basis of an anonymous report.

2. The District Administration shall develop standard procedures consistent with related Canyons’ discipline policies for promptly reporting to law enforcement hazing, bullying, cyberbullying, harassment, or retaliation activities that may rise to the level of suspect criminal activity.

3. The submission of a good faith complaint report will not affect the reporter’s grades, learning or working environment, future employment, or work assignment.

4. Principal/Administrator

4.1.     The principal or his/her designee shall investigate reports of hazing, bullying, cyberbullying, harassment, or retaliation activities consistent with Canyons’ student discipline policy.

4.2.     The principal or his/her designee shall follow the administrative procedures as outlined in Canyons’ student discipline policy, including notification to the Superintendent’s designee as appropriate.

DISTRICT CODE:

JICFA-R-4

APPROVED:

9.20.11

ADMINISTRATIVE REGULATION—JICFA—R-4 (Dissemination and Training)

1. Canyons School District shall adopt procedures for publicizing Policy JICFA—Hazing and Bullying to school employees, students, and parents/guardians.

2. Prior to any student or employee or volunteer coach participating in a public school sponsored athletic program, both curricular and extracurricular, or extracurricular club or activity, a student or coach shall participate in bullying and hazing prevention training.

DISTRICT CODE:

JICFA-R-5

APPROVED:

9.20.11

ADMINISTRATIVE REGULATION—JICFA—R-5 (Definitions)

“Bullying”: means intentionally or knowingly committing an act that:

• endangers the physical health or safety of a school employee or student;
• involves any brutality of a physical nature such as whipping, beating, branding, calisthenics, bruising, electric shocking, placing of a harmful substance on the body, or exposure to the elements;
• involves consumption of any food, liquor, food, or other substance;
• involves other physical activity that endangers the physical health and safety of a school employee or students; or
• involves physically obstructing a school employee’s or student’s freedom to move; and
• is done for the purpose of placing a school employee or student in fear of physical harm to the school employee or student; or harm to property of the school or employee or student.  

“Hazing”:   means intentionally or knowingly committing an act that:

• endangers the physical health or safety of a school employee or student;
• involves any brutality of a physical nature such as whipping, beating, branding, calisthenics, bruising, electric shocking, placing of a harmful substance on the body, or exposure to the elements;
• involves consumption of any food, liquor, food, or other substance;
• involves other physical activity that endangers the physical health and safety of a school employee or students; or
• involves physically obstructing a school employee’s or student’s freedom to move; and
• is done for the purpose of initiation or admission into, affiliation with, holding office in, or as a condition for, membership or acceptance, or continued membership or acceptance, in any school or school sponsored team, organization, program or event; or
• if the person committing the act against a school employee or student knew that the school employee or student is a member of, or candidate for, membership with a school, or school sponsored team, organization, program, or event to which the person committing the act belongs or participates in.  

“Cyberbullying”:   means using the Internet, a cell phone, or another device to send or post text, video, or an image with the intent or knowledge, or with reckless disregard, that the text, video, or image will hurt, embarrass, or threaten an individual, regardless of whether the individual directed, consented to, or acquiesced in the conduct, or voluntarily accessed the electronic communication.

“Harassment”:   means repeatedly communicating to another individual, in an objectively demeaning or disparaging manner, statements that contribute to a hostile learning or work environment for the individual.

“Retaliate”:  means an act or communication intended as retribution against a person for reporting bullying, hazing, harassment, or cyberbullying, or to improperly influence the investigation of, or the response to, a report of bullying or hazing.

“School employee”: means school teachers, school staff, school administrators, and all others employed directly or indirectly, by the school, school board, or school district.  

EXHIBITS

JICFA-Exhibit-1.pdf

REFERENCES

U.C.A. §53A-11a-101, et seq.  

FORMS

Form_1-JICFA-Hazing_and_Bullying-Statement_of_Commitment_1.pdf

CANYONS BOARD OF EDUCATION