B ULLYING & H ARASSMENT P REVENTION & I NTERVENTION Information for Parents

W HAT IS BULLYING ? FCPS defines bullying as any aggressive and unwanted behavior that is intended to harm, intimidate, or humiliate the victim; involves a real or perceived power imbalance between the aggressor or aggressors and victim; and is repeated over time or causes severe emotional trauma. “Bullying” includes cyberbullying. “Bullying” does not include ordinary teasing, horseplay, argument, or peer conflict.” source: source:

T YPES OF B ULLYING Physical Emotional Cyberbullying source:

W HAT IS HARASSMENT ? FCPS defines harassment as a course of conduct which annoys, threatens, intimidates, alarms, or puts a person in fear of his or her safety. Harassment is unwanted, unwelcomed and uninvited behavior that demeans, threatens, or offends the victim and results in a hostile environment for the victim and bystanders. Harassing behavior may include, but is not limited to epithets; derogatory comments or slurs; lewd propositions; assault; impeding or blocking movement; offensive touching or any physical interference with normal school activity, work or movement, and visual insults such as derogatory posters or cartoons.

W HAT IS HARASSMENT ? H OW IS IT DIFFERENT FROM BULLYING ? Target can be specific, a group, or unspecified Only has to occur once Intent may not be to harm Hostile environment

T YPES OF H ARASSMENT Sexual or Gender-Based Discriminatory

W HAT ELSE COULD IT BE ? ● Ordinary Teasing/Mistreatment ● Conflict ● Accident/Misunderstanding source:

M ISTREATMENT, B ULLYING, OR H ARASSMENT ? Salvatore gives the wrong answer in class. A bunch of other students laugh and say “You are so stupid!” Everyday when Susan comes to school, a group of older girls whisper about her, calling her “ugly” and tell other students not to sit with her at lunch. Sasha walks down the hallway in her school one day and several boys follow her down the hallway, telling her she looks “hot” and keep touching her on the backside even when she asks them to stop. For the next week, she begs her parents to let her stay home from school. MistreatmentBullying Harassment

W HAT IS CUB RUN DOING TO PREVENT BULLYING ? o Bullying Prevention Week o PBA o Random Acts of Kindness Week o Character Education “Be the 3” o Health curriculum o Bullying lessons o Second Step curriculum o Positive Words Week

H OW DO SCHOOLS RESPOND TO BULLYING ? ● Reporting: o Student/parent/staff can report to any staff member; receiving staff member reports to administration o FCPS Tip Line  phone  text 

H OW DO SCHOOLS RESPOND TO BULLYING ? ● Take reports seriously ● Investigate allegations ● Support provided, regardless of finding

H OW CAN PARENTS PREVENT BULLYING ? ● Keep the line of communications open ● Encourage kids to do what they love which foster pro- social engagement ● Model kindness, respect and healthy conflict- resolution Source:

H OW CAN PARENTS RESPOND TO BULLYING ? ● Know the warning signs ● Respond to cyberbullying ● Communicate with school administrators ● Reach out to other supports as needed Source:

P ROMOTING I NTERNET S AFETY ● Educate yourself ● Use parental controls ● Set ground rules ● Friend and follow ● Explore, share, and celebrate ● Be a good digital role model Source:

W EBSITE R ESOURCES