What Is Bullying?

Bullying is unwanted, aggressive behavior among school aged children that involves a real or perceived power imbalance. The behavior is repeated, or has the potential to be repeated, over time. Both kids who are bullied and who bully others may have serious, lasting problems.

In order to be considered bullying, the behavior must be aggressive and include:

• An Imbalance of Power: Kids who bully use their power—such as physical strength, access to embarrassing information, or popularity—to control or harm others. Power imbalances can change over time and in different situations, even if they involve the same people.
• Repetition: Bullying behaviors happen more than once.

Bullying includes actions such as making threats, spreading rumors, attacking someone physically or verbally, and excluding someone from a group on purpose.

Harassment, bullying, and intimidation is defined by the Ohio Revised Code as an “intentional written, verbal, graphic, physical or electronic act that a student or group of students exhibited toward the alleged victim more than once; and the behavior both causes mental or physical harm to the other student, and is sufficiently severe, persistent or pervasive that it creates an intimidating, threatening or abusive educational environment for the other student (ORC3313.666) and that false reports will result in disciplinary action pursuant to the Student Code of Conduct that may include, but not limited to: detention, suspension, and/or expulsion depending on the circumstances. 

If you have been the victim, or know of a victim, who is suffering harassment, bullying or intimidation as defined above, please contact your student’s building principal, and/or grade level principal.  See contact information under our schools tab and select your child’s building.

 

You can also submit here: Bullying Incident Form 

 

More options for keeping schools safe.

988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline
Website: https://988lifeline.org/
 

Speak Up
844-723-3764
website: ohioschoolsafetycenter.ohio.gov
https://ohioschoolsafetycenter.ohio.gov/