SCHOOL WIDE BULLYING POLICY

All schools in the Diocese of Oakland are committed to providing a safe, nurturing learning environment that promotes Christian values and respects the dignity of each individual student entrusted to our care.  All bullying needs to be reported to administration immediately by students, staff, or parents that witness it.  It needs to be reported through the Bullying Report Form, found on our website or in the front office.  It is encouraged that all reporting be discreet.  As soon as the administration receives the reporting form, it will immediately be investigated.  Depending on the situation the investigation can take up to one week.  Results and information will be shared with the person who reported to the degree that is appropriate.  In addition information will be shared with any additional parents that need to be communicated with.  Confidential student information regarding the situation can only be shared with a student’s parents.   

Bullying occurs when a student, or group of students, repeatedly try to hurt, humiliate, intimidate or get power over another less powerful student in any of the following ways.

• Physical bullying is when a student repeatedly uses physical force to hurt another student e.g. by hitting, pushing, shoving, kicking, impeding or blocking movement, taking a student’s belongings or stealing their money.

• Verbal bullying is when a student repeatedly uses words, images or gestures to intimidate or humiliate another student e.g. by taunting, name-calling, teasing, put-downs, insults, threats and blackmail.

• Relational bullying is when a student repeatedly and intentionally excludes or isolates another student e.g. through leaving them out, manipulating others against them, or spreading untrue rumors or gossip.

• Cyberbullying is when a student repeatedly uses their cell-phone, text messages, e-mails, instant messaging, the Internet and social media to threaten, shame or isolate another student.  This is defined in more detail in the Diocesan Telecommunications Responsible Use Policy.  

Bullying is different from conflict.  Conflict is an inevitable part of life and can occur at school when a student perceives another student as being an obstacle to what they want or value. If students are in conflict but are not using bullying to get power over the other student, we are committed to helping our students talk it through.

Bullying may at times amount to harassment.  It is harassment to target a student online or face to face because of their actual or perceived disability, gender, gender identity, gender expression, nationality, race or ethnicity, religion, sexual orientation, or because they are associating with a student or group of students with one or more of these actual or perceived characteristics. 

All cases of bullying and harassment need to be reported immediately.