1. Spokane Public Schools Harassment, Intimidation & Bullying

2. QUESTION: What is the definition of HIB?
ANSWER:
Harassment, intimidation, or bullying is an intentional electronic, written, verbal or physical act that
Physically harms a student or damages the student’s property; or
Has the effect of substantially interfering with a student’s education; or
Is so severe, persistent or pervasive that it creates an intimidating or threatening educational environment; or
Has the effect of substantially disrupting the orderly operation of the school.
School Safety Center:

3. QUESTION: Does policy give special protection to any particular group?
ANSWER:
No. However, certain groups experience higher levels of HIB than others. These groups need to be named and protected by district policy and procedures.
School Safety Center:

4. QUESTION: How does bullying differ from other forms of conflict?
ANSWER:
Other Conflict/ Fighting * Bullying *
Between friends/equals/peers Not friends/imbalance of power
Spontaneous/occasional Repeated over time
Accidental/not planned Intentional
No serious, lasting harm Physical/emotional harm
Equal emotional reaction Unequal emotional reaction
Not for domination/control Seeking control/possession
Often a sense of remorse No remorse-blames target
May try to solve problem No effort to solve problem
* Please remember that specifics will vary with each incident.
School Safety Center:

5. QUESTION: What might HIB look like?
ANSWER:
Verbal Harassment: “name calling” or calling out of a student’s inherent traits (race, religion, gender)
Physical Intimidation: pushing, hitting, or kicking
Hazing: forcing others to perform demeaning tasks or submit to forms of physical or verbal abuse
Cyber: text messages, Facebook posts, pictures, etc.
School Safety Center:

6. QUESTION: Is HIB training required?
ANSWER:
Yes. For both staff and students.
Staff: annual training on the district’s policy & procedures; roles & responsibilities; monitoring, and use of the district’s Incident Reporting Form.
Students: annual, age-appropriate information on HIB recognition and prevention, including the Incident Reporting Form.
School Safety Center:

7. QUESTION: What about adult HIB?
ANSWER:
Harassment, intimidation and bullying of students is prohibited.
The aggressor may be another student or
it may be an adult member of the district or school staff.
However, adult-on-adult HIB is NOT included under the law, the policy or the procedures.
Employees are protected from discrimination as outlined in the nondiscrimination & affirmative action policy 5010 and from uncivil behaviors as outlined the civility policy 5117.
School Safety Center:

8. SPS District HIB Policy 3207
“Harassment, intimidation or bullying” means any intentional electronic, written, verbal, or physical act, including but not limited to one shown to be motivated by race, color, religion, ancestry, national origin, gender, sexual orientation including gender expression or identity, mental, physical, or sensory handicap, or other distinguishing characteristics, when the intentional electronic, written, verbal, or physical act:
Physically harms a student or damages the student’s property;
Has the effect of substantially interfering with a student’s education;
Is so severe, persistent, or pervasive that it creates an intimidating or threatening educational environment; or
Has the effect of substantially disrupting the orderly operation of the school.
Nothing in this section requires the affected student to actually possess a characteristic that is a basis for the harassment, intimidation, or bullying.
“Other distinguishing characteristics” can include but are not limited to physical appearance, clothing or other apparel, socioeconomic status, and weight.
District Policy complies with state law and is pretty much word for word taken from the state’s RCW. Note the last two items on this slide – the first part means that if harassment is based on a perceived characteristic, it does not matter that the targeted student does not actually have that characteristic. The last section means that pretty much any characteristic used to targed a student for HIB is not allowed, regardless of whether or not it is a protected basis in the state’s non-discrimination laws.

9. District’s HIB Reporting Form
Spokane Public Schools has a form for reporting HIB.
The form does not have to be used in order to report HIB.
Submit to the Principal/Designee

10. QUESTION: Is the principal or his/her designee responsible
QUESTION: Is the principal or his/her designee responsible for handling all Incident Reporting Forms?
ANSWER:
No: Every staff member, sub, temp or volunteer has to know how to:
- intervene in HIB,
- support targeted students and
- receive Incident Reporting Forms.
This means that everyone must be trained on what to do with a HIB report (verbal or written).
School Safety Center:

11. QUESTION: Does every instance of bullying require an
QUESTION: Does every instance of bullying require an Incident Reporting Form?
ANSWER:
No: In a school with a well-implemented bullying prevention program and a well-trained staff,
incidents of severe and persistent bullying may not arise or may be very rare.
Every staff member will know how to
- recognize and intervene in HIB,
- support targeted students and
- and take appropriate actions.
School Safety Center:

12. QUESTION: When is the principal or his/her designee
QUESTION: When is the principal or his/her designee responsible for handling Incident
Reporting Forms?
ANSWER:
If situations are severe, persistent, can’t be resolved, or the staff person doesn’t know what to do next, then the incident and the Incident Reporting Form should be referred to the principal/designee.
School Safety Center:

13. QUESTION: Is it correct to say that not every
QUESTION: Is it correct to say that not every incidence of bullying has to be documented on an Incident Report Form?
ANSWER:
Yes. In a school with a well-implemented prevention program there would be little bullying and harassment to report.
Everyone would know policies & procedures, and would use appropriate on-the-spot, classroom and school-wide interventions.
In such a school, very few Incident Report Forms would go to the principal/designee.
School Safety Center:

14. QUESTION: Can you speak to new timelines around the
investigation of a bullying incident?
ANSWER:
When a principal/designee receives an Incident Report Form, and
the incident reached the unresolved/severe/persistent threshold, it requires an investigation:
The principal/designee then has 12 school days to respond:
- 2 school days – to contact families to let them know;
- 5 school days – from initial complaint or Incident Report Form to complete the investigation;
- 2 school days - after the completed investigation to contact
families and inform them of the outcome, and
- within 5 more school days, implement whatever corrective
actions are warranted.
Investigation can take longer than 5 days for legitimate reasons and principal must notify family weekly of status.
School Safety Center:

15. QUESTION: Can we discuss the timelines around the
investigation of a complex bullying incident?
ANSWER:
If the investigation is long and complex, it might take more than 5 days. If that’s the case, then the district will:
- provide weekly updates for the target family;
- take “reasonable measures” to ensure student safety;
- if necessary, develop a safety plan for the targeted student, and
- ensure that there is no retaliation against him/her.
School Safety Center:

16. QUESTION: What if someone receives an anonymous form?
ANSWER:
That person may be the trusted adult in the student’s life.
The form will give you some information to work with:
- an incident,
- a location,
- possibly a student(s) you may want to check with,
- a potential “teachable moment.”
Use that information.
Share the form with your Compliance Officer. It may be part of a pattern.
Complaints can be anonymous; no disciplinary action will be taken against an alleged aggressor based solely on an anonymous report.
School Safety Center:

17. QUESTION: What if we are reluctant to contact the
QUESTION: What if we are reluctant to contact the family about the bullying incident?
ANSWER:
The safety of the child is paramount!
There may be rare situations where contacting home may threaten the health and safety of the student.
If this is the case:
- consult with other appropriate staff such as
- counselors, psychologists, or social workers.
- Determine what is in the best interest of the child.
- You may be able to involve the family at a later
time.
School Safety Center:

18. QUESTION: How do you identify a possible victim of HIB?
ANSWER:
Truancy or absences
Low self-esteem, depression, or isolation
Headaches, anxiety, or distress
Reduced academic success
Suicidal or homicidal ideas, attempts, or communications
School Safety Center:

19. QUESTION: Why is there a separate HIB appeals process?
ANSWER:
There is an appeals process for disciplined students in
WAC
The HIB appeals process is for the targeted student.
If the target student’s family disagrees with the findings of the principal/designee’s investigation, they can appeal that decision to the superintendent and the school board.
The timelines here, are entirely different from the discipline appeals process.
School Safety Center:

20. QUESTION: What is the HIB investigation appeals process?
ANSWER:
If complainant or parent is dissatisfied:
May appeal in writing to superintendent within 5 days of receiving the written investigation decision
Superintendent or designee, will issue written decision in 5 days
If dissatisfied with superintendent’s decision, may appeal in writing to the Board of Directors within 5 days of receiving written decision
Board must hear appeal within 10 school days after receipt
Board must issue written decision within 5 days after hearing
Board decision is final
School Safety Center:

21. QUESTION: Once an aggressor has been disciplined, is the school done?
ANSWER:
No. The procedure also calls for:
- support for the targeted student,
- interventions to change the negative behavior
of the aggressor, and
- restoration of a positive school climate.
School Safety Center:

22. QUESTION: Who is our HIB Compliance Officer
ANSWER:
Dr. Adam Swinyard
(509) / adamswspokaneschools.org.
School Safety Center:

23. RESOURCES The following is a starter list of HIB resources.
Check the School Safety web site for more.
1. – Cyberbullying Resource Site
2. – The Committee for Children
3. – The Olweus Bullying Prevention Program
4. – The White House Site
5. – International Bullying Prevention Assoc.
MA Aggression Reduction Center Site
School Safety Center: