##### Comprehensive School Safety Plan

District Office Garvey School District
Section 10: Bullying Policy
Part 1: Bully, AB1156, AB9 and BP 5131.2

The Governing Board recognizes the harmful effects of bullying on student learning and school attendance and desires to provide safe school environments that protect students from physical and emotional harm. District employees shall establish student safety as a high priority and shall not tolerate bullying of any student.

No individual or group shall, through physical, written, verbal, or other means, harass, sexually harass, threaten, intimidate, retaliate, cyberbully, cause bodily injury to, or commit hate violence against any student or school personnel.

“Bullying” is legally defined as any severe or pervasive physical or verbal act or conduct, including communications made in writing or by means of an electronic act, directed toward one or more pupils that has or can be reasonable predicted to have the effect of one or more of the following:

- 1. Placing a reasonable pupil or pupil in fear of harm to that pupil’s or those pupils’ person or property.
- 2. Causing a reasonable pupil to experience a substantially detrimental effect on his or her physical or mental health.
- 3. Causing a reasonable pupil to experience substantial interference with his or her academic performance.
- 4. Causing a reasonable pupil to experience substantial interference with his/her ability to participate in/benefit from the services or activities.
- -“Electronic act” means the creation and transmission of a communication originated on or off school site, by means of an electronic act, including but not limited to a message, text, sound or image, or a post on a social network Internet website.
- -“Reasonable pupil” means a pupil, including but not limited to an exceptional needs pupil who exercises average care, skill and judgment in conduct for a person of his/her age, or for a person of his/her age with his/her exceptional needs. (California Education Code 48900)

(cf. 5131 - Conduct) (cf. 5136 - Gangs) (cf. 5145.3 - Nondiscrimination/Harassment) (cf. 5145.7 - Sexual Harassment) (cf. 5145.9 - Hate-Motivated Behavior)

Cyberbullying includes the creation or transmission of harassing communications, direct threats, or other harmful texts, sounds, or images on the Internet, social media, or other technologies using a telephone, computer, or any wireless communication device. Cyberbullying also includes breaking into another person's electronic account and/or assuming that person's identity in order to damage that person's reputation. (cf. 5145.2 - Freedom of Speech/Expression)

Strategies for addressing bullying in schools shall be developed with involvement of key stakeholders, including students, parents/guardians, and staff and may be incorporated into the comprehensive safety plan, the local control and accountability plan, and other applicable district and school plans. (cf. 0420 - School Plans/Site Councils) (cf. 0450 - Comprehensive Safety Plan) (cf. 1220 - Citizen Advisory Committees) (cf. 1400 - Relations Between Other Governmental Agencies and the Schools) (cf. 6020 - Parent Involvement)

As appropriate, the Superintendent or designee may collaborate with law enforcement, courts, social services, mental health services, other agencies, and community organizations in the development and implementation of joint strategies to promote safety in schools and the community and to provide services for alleged targets and perpetrators of bullying. Bullying Prevention

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