To assure that California schools act promptly to resolve disputes, taunting, harassment, or bullying that could result in violence, the Legislature and the Governor enacted Assembly Bill 79 (Chapter 646, Statutes of 2001). This bill amends Education Code Section 35294.2 to include subdivision (g):
"The State Department of Education shall develop model policies on the prevention of bullying and on conflict resolution and make the model policies available to school districts. A school district may adopt one or both of these policies for incorporation into its school safety plan."
The California Department of Education developed the following policies as resources to help California schools address these vital school safety concerns. School districts may adapt these policies to local needs and are encouraged to include:
- Examples of strategies used in their schools for promoting positive behavior being practiced by its school community,
- Training conducted for teachers and staff about how to appropriately intervene in a dispute, including expectations from adults who observe a dispute or act of taunting, harassment, or bullying,
- Conflict resolution or peer mediation training provided to students and expectations of students who observe disputes that could lead to violence, including identifying the person(s) to be contacted if needed.
Sample Policy for Bullying Prevention
The _______________ School District believes that all students have a right to a safe and healthy school environment. The district, schools, and community have an obligation to promote mutual respect, tolerance, and acceptance.
The _____________ School District will not tolerate behavior that infringes on the safety of any student. A student shall not intimidate or harass another student through words or actions. Such behavior includes: direct physical contact, such as hitting or shoving; verbal assaults, such as teasing or name-calling; and social isolation or manipulation.
The _____________ School District expects students and/or staff to immediately report incidents of bullying to the principal or designee. Staff are expected to immediately intervene when they see a bullying incident occur. Each complaint of bullying should be promptly investigated. This policy applies to students on school grounds, while traveling to and from school or a school-sponsored activity, during the lunch period, whether on or off campus, and during a school-sponsored activity.
To ensure bullying does not occur on school campuses, the _________________ School District will provide staff development training in bullying prevention and cultivate acceptance and understanding in all students and staff to build each school's capacity to maintain a safe and healthy learning environment
Teachers should discuss this policy with their students in age-appropriate ways and should assure them that they need not endure any form of bullying. Students who bully are in violation of this policy and are subject to disciplinary action up to and including expulsion.
Each school will adopt a Student Code of Conduct to be followed by every student while on school grounds, or when traveling to and from school or a school-sponsored activity, and during lunch period, whether on or off campus.
The Student Code of Conduct includes, but is not limited to:
- Any student who engages in bullying may be subject to disciplinary action up to and including expulsion.
- Students are expected to immediately report incidents of bullying to the principal or designee.
- Students can rely on staff to promptly investigate each complaint of bullying in a thorough and confidential manner.
- If the complainant student or the parent of the student feels that appropriate resolution of the investigation or complaint has not been reached, the student or the parent of the student should contact the principal or the Office of Student Services. The school system prohibits retaliatory behavior against any complainant or any participant in the complaint process.
The procedures for intervening in bullying behavior include, but are not limited, to the following:
- All staff, students and their parents will receive a summary of this policy prohibiting bullying: at the beginning of the school year, as part of the student handbook and/or information packet, as part of new student orientation, and as part of the school system's notification to parents.
- The school will make reasonable efforts to keep a report of bullying and the results of investigation confidential.
- Staff are expected to immediately intervene when they see a bullying incident occur.
- People witnessing or experiencing bullying are encouraged to report the incident; such reporting will not reflect on the victim or witnesses in any way.
Sample Policy for Conflict Resolution
The _________________ School District believes that all students have a right to a safe and healthy school environment. Part of a healthy environment is the freedom to openly disagree. With this freedom comes the responsibility to discuss and resolve disagreements with respect for the rights and opinions of others.
To prevent conflict, each school within the _______________ School District will incorporate conflict resolution education and problem solving techniques into the curriculum and campus programs. This is an important step in promoting respect and acceptance, developing new ways of communicating, understanding, and accepting differing values and cultures within the school community and helps ensure a safe and healthy learning environment
The _______________ School District will provide training to develop the knowledge, attitudes, and skills students need to choose alternatives to self-destructive, violent behavior and dissolve interpersonal and intergroup conflict. Each school will adopt a Student Code of Conduct to be followed by every student while on school grounds, when traveling to and from school or a school-sponsored activity, and during lunch period, whether on or off campus.
The Student Code of Conduct includes, but is not limited to, the following:
- Students are to resolve their disputes without resorting to violence.
- Students, especially those trained in conflict resolution and peer mediation, are encouraged to help fellow students resolve problems peaceably.
- Students can rely on staff trained in conflict resolution and peer mediation strategies to intervene in any dispute likely to result in violence.
- Students needing help in resolving a disagreement, or students observing conflict may contact an adult or peer mediators (give location where listing of designated staff and students is posted).
- Students involved in a dispute will be referred to a conflict resolution or peer mediation session with trained adult or peer mediators. Staff and mediators will keep the discussions confidential.
- Conflict resolution procedures shall not supplant the authority of staff to act to prevent violence, ensure campus safety, maintain order, and discipline students.
