Policies, Procedures, and
Resources for Addressing
Bullying, Harassment, and
Intimidation in Baltimore County
Public Schools
Cheryl Scott, Specialist
Office of Safe and Drug-Free Schools
July 20, 2010
Presentation Objective
• To increase awareness of bullying,
harassment, and intimidation by
providing information, strategies,
and resources for working with
youth on these issues.
Ice Breaker
• Think about a time in your life
when you were bullied, harassed,
or intimidated? Do you remember
how the situation was resolved?
Harm Caused by Bullying
Bullying and
Harassment
Physical
Social
Emotional
Massacre Linked to Bullying
WITNESSES TELL OF COLUMBINE BULLYING
“Bullying at Columbine High was rampant, witnesses testified
Monday, and victims' parents were shocked that the principal has
said there were no danger signs leading to the shooting.”
Taken from local newspaper
April 20, 1999
Massacre Linked to Bullying
Throughout school, Virginia Tech gunman, Cho Seung-Hui, was
picked on, pushed around and laughed at over his shyness and the
strange way he talked.
In a video created by Cho, he states of the massacre, “You had a
hundred billion chances and ways to have avoided today….But
you decided to spill my blood. You forced me into a corner and
gave me only one option. The decision was yours. Now you have
blood on your hands that will never wash off.”
Phoebe Prince "Suicide by
Bullying": Teen's Death
Angers Town Asking Why
Bullies Roam the Halls
• SOUTH HADLEY, Mass. (CBS) 15-year-old Phoebe
Prince moved from Ireland to Massachusetts, with the
promise of a new life. Instead, she took her own life, to
escape allegedly vicious bullying, on Facebook, text
messages, and in school, and now angry residents of
her South Hadley, Mass. community want answers, and
punishment for the bullies.
According to The Boston Globe, Prince was relentlessly
bullied by girls who called her "a slut," or "an Irish slut."
On the day of her death, Jan. 14, Prince was walking
home from school when bullies drove by in a car,
hurling insults and an energy drink in her direction.
Prince kept walking to her house, straight to her closet,
and hanged herself.
Baltimore Maryland
school bullying: 8-year-old
girl attempts suicide after
bullying
Baltimore, MD
A third-grade girl with cerebral palsy
reportedly attempted suicide after battling
repeated verbal and physical attacks from
fellow students at Gilmor Elementary School,
as reported by the Baltimore Sun. Three
students have been suspended for the
incident, but some teachers and union officials
claim there is a serious culture of student
violence within the West Baltimore school that
remains unaddressed.
Legislation
• Safe Schools Reporting Act of
2005
– Mandates the Maryland State
Department of Education (MSDE) to
require county boards of education
to report incidents of harassment or
intimidation (bullying) against
students attending a public school
under the jurisdiction of the county
board.
Bullying Definition
• A person is bullied when he/she is
exposed to intentional negative
actions on the part of one or more
students, and whose ability to
participate in or benefit from the
school’s educational programs or
activities is adversely affected.
Bullying often occurs repeatedly and
over time.
Harassment Definition
• A person is harassed when he/she
perceives or actually experiences
discomfort with identity issues in
regard to race, color, national origin,
gender, disability, sexual orientation,
religion, or other identifying
characteristics, and whose ability to
participate in or benefit from the
school’s educational programs or
activities is adversely affected.
Intimidation Definition
• A person is intimidated when
he/she is subjected to
intentional action that seriously
threatens and induces a sense
of fear and/or inferiority, and
whose ability to participate in or
benefit from the school’s
educational programs or
activities is adversely affected.
Retaliation Definition
• An act of reprisal or getting back
at a person for an act he/she has
committed.
Rationale for Policy
5580
• On July 1, 2008, the Maryland
General Assembly directed the
Maryland State Board of
Education, in consultation with the
local school systems, to develop
and adopt a Model Policy
prohibiting bullying, harassment,
or intimidation in schools.
Policy 5580: Students: Bullying,
Harassment, or Intimidation
• The Board of Education of Baltimore
County prohibits students engaging in
intentional conduct involving bullying,
harassment, or intimidation that
substantially interferes with a student’s
educational opportunities. The Board
prohibits any reprisal or retaliation against
an individual who reports an act of
bullying, harassment, or intimidation.
Procedures for Reporting
by Schools
• The principal or principal’s designee will make the
state victim reporting form, Bullying, Harassment,
or Intimidation Reporting Form, available in all
schools, notifying students, school staff, and
parents/guardians of its availability at the school.
• The state victim reporting form, Bullying, Harassment,
or Intimidation Reporting Form, are available
electronically on the BCPS web site.
• The principal or the principal’s designee will include
the state victim reporting form, Bullying, Harassment,
or Intimidation Reporting Form, in the beginning of
the year school packets for students and their
parents/guardians.
Procedures for Reporting
by Schools
• Teachers can now report incidents of
bullying and harassment. In the past only
the victim, his/her parent, or close relative
could report.
• The principal or the principal’s designee
will provide a secure location where a
student may submit a completed Bullying,
Harassment, or Intimidation Reporting
Form if the student feels uncomfortable
submitting the reporting form in person.
Direct Bullying and Harassment
Behaviors such as, but not limited to:
• Physical (hitting, kicking)
• Verbal (name calling, teasing,
spreading rumors)
• Non-verbal (rejecting, defaming,
terrorizing)
• Sexual (inappropriate comments and
touching)
• Sending mean e-mails
Indirect Bullying and Harassment
Behaviors such as, but not limited to:
• Physical (getting another person to
assault someone)
• Verbal (spreading rumors, gossip)
• Non-verbal (deliberate exclusion
from a group, ignoring, threatening
looks or gestures)
Cyber-bullying
• Harassing, humiliating, intimidating or
threatening others on the Internet or
via cell phones or other technology
available to youth (e.g. e-mails, web
pages, instant messaging, and other
electronically communicated
messages).
How to Work With Bullies
• Integrate character building
activities.
• Build empathy through discussion,
role play, and real-world scenarios.
• Address the reasons for bullying
(student needs).
• Provide consistent consequences.
• Empower victims and bystanders in
order to reduce the bully’s influence.
How to Work With Victims
• Teach how to ignore
• Teach how to use humor to deflect
• Teach how to use self talk: “They think
I’m ___, but I know I’m ____.”
• Teach how to walk with confidence,
speak up and in a brave voice, or join a
group.
• Talk about what they can do or say when
they are bullied—develop choices (Play
the “What Would You Do If” game.
• Give them the right words to use and
rehearse.
How to Work With Bystanders
• Empower bystanders to intervene
• Give students the language to use
• Address “anti-snitching” messages
through empathy building
• Teach them not to watch, join in, or
otherwise or contribute to the problem
• Teach them how to walk away
• Teach how to come forth when the
investigation is being done:
• Write a note
• Talk in private
Resources for Addressing
Bullying, Harassment, and
Intimidation
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Safe Schools Conference (Sept 23 and 34, 2010)
Positive Behavior Planning Guide
Understanding and Responding to Bullying
PBIS
Character Education
Violence Prevention Programs (e.g. Second
Step)
Bullying Scenarios on Safari Montage
Restorative Practices (e.g. Community
Conferencing/Daily Rap/Circles)
Office of School Counseling
Office of Safe & Drug-Free Schools
Coming Soon!
• Cyber-bullying video available on
Safari Montage.
• Back-to-School Night with Parents
• Classroom Lessons (developed through
Office of School Health)
Coming Soon!
• Bullying, Harassment, Intimidation
training module for all faculty and
staff.
Coming Soon!
• Each school will receive a copy of
A Bully Free School Year: 40
Weeks of Bullying Prevention
Activities by Jan Urbanski & Joan
Reubens
Second Step Violence
Prevention Program
• For elementary and middle
schools.
• Programs and trainings available
through S&DFS. Stay tuned for
upcoming trainings.
Safari Montage
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Conflict with Authority
Harassment
Sexual Harassment
Bullying: Gaining Insight (for staff)
Bullying Videos by Carver
Students
• Bullying Scenarios (Bus and
Hallway)
Thank you!