To report incidents of bullying or security concerns, call or email the LCISD Buzz Line. You may choose to remain anonymous.

806-993-2400
buzz@lcisd.net

Bullying Incident Report From

When you See or Hear Bullying:

• Intervene immediately. When you do nothing you send the message that bullying is acceptable. If you ignore or minimize the problem, victims will not believe that adults understand or care, or that they can help. If you don’t intervene, children won’t either.

• Intervene even if you are not sure it is bullying. Observing children’s actions, words, body language and facial expressions will help you determine if bullying is occurring. Even if it’s not, aggressive behaviors need to be stopped.

• Stand between or near the victim and the bully, separating them if necessary, so as to stop the bullying behaviors. For young children, consider removing them from the situation to a “time-out” area or room.

• Respond firmly but appropriately. Remain calm, but convey the seriousness of the situation. Announce that the bullying must stop. Describe the behavior you have observed and why it is unacceptable.

• Get help if needed. If the bully is using physical force, or there is more than one bully, you may need to find another adult to help keep children safe and protect yourself.

• Do not respond aggressively. Using aggressive behavior sends the wrong message that this is a good way to solve problems. It may also prompt a bully or a bystander to increase his or her bullying behavior or to become aggressive toward you.

• Avoid lecturing the bully in front of his or her peers. Your goal is to end the behavior, not humiliate or shame the bully. Rather than serving as a deterrent, lecturing and scolding often provide the bully with attention that he or she finds rewarding.

• Don’t impose immediate consequences. Allow yourself time to consider the incident and obtain any clarifying information – then decide the best course of action.

• Don’t ask children to “work things out” for themselves. Bullying is different from an argument or conflict; it involves a power imbalance that requires adult intervention.

• Give praise and show appreciation to helpful bystanders. Children who try to help the victim or stop the bully are key to bullying prevention.

• Stick around. Remain in the area until you are sure the behavior has stopped.   

Guidelines for Reporting Bullying, Sexual Harassment, Dating Violence, and Sexual Violence:

LCISD is committed to providing a positive learning environment for all students that enhances personal safety and promotes respect, dignity, and equality among students. High standards are expected for both academic achievement and for behavior. LCISD strives to ensure that all of its students and employees are free from bullying, sexual harassment, dating violence, and sexual violence (FFH (local) FFI (local)). All charges of bullying, sexual harassment, dating violence, and sexual violence are to be taken very seriously by students, faculty, staff, administration, and parents/guardians. LCISD will make every effort to handle and respond to every charge and complaint filed by students and employees in a fair, thorough, and just manner. Every effort will be made to protect the due process rights of all victims and all alleged perpetrators.

• Bullying is defined as written or oral expression or physical conduct that: 1) has the effect of physically harming a student, damaging a student's property, or placing a student in reasonable fear of harm to the student's person or of damage to the student's property; or 2) is sufficiently severe, persistent, or pervasive in creating an intimidating, threatening, or abusive educational environment for a student.

• Harassment is defined as conduct that threatens to cause harm or bodily injury to another student, is sexually intimidating, causes physical damage to the property of another student, subjects another student to physical confinement or restraint or maliciously and substantially harms another student’s physical or emotional health or safety.

• Sexual harassment is conduct that is severe, pervasive, and objectively offensive in such a manner that it can be said to deprive the victim of access to the educational opportunities or benefits provided by the school. It is a form of harassment that includes touching someone in ways that are not wanted, sexual jokes, pressuring someone to have sex, threats or intimidation from a dating partner, or any other form of harassment of a sexual nature that would make a reasonable person uncomfortable.

• Dating violence is defined as the intentional use of physical, sexual, verbal, or emotional abuse by a person to harm, threaten, intimidate, or control another person in a dating relationship. Dating violence is a pattern of coercive behavior that one partner exerts over the other for the purpose of establishing and maintaining power and control.

• Sexual violence is defined as sexual assault, sexual abuse, or sexual stalking of a minor child or teenager, including sexual violence committed by perpetrators who are strangers to the victim and by perpetrators who are known or related by blood or marriage to the victim. This definition includes behavior including but not limited to incest, molestation, child abuse, stranger rape, and non stranger rape.
  
  

Students who believe they have been harassed, bullied, or otherwise victimized by fellow students or LCISD employees are encouraged to promptly report such incidents to the campus principal or other campus professional. To the greatest extent possible, complaints shall be treated as confidential. Limited disclosure may be necessary to complete a thorough investigation. A student or parent/guardian who has a complaint alleging bullying, harassment, dating violence, or sexual violence may request a conference with the principal or the principal’s designee. If the student or parent/guardian is not satisfied with the response from the campus staff, they may request a conference with the Superintendent or designee.

Complaints will be documented and investigated in accordance with LCISD policy and guidelines. Any staff member who observes an incident that involves physical or sexual assault or threats will report the incident immediately to the principal. Any staff member who learns of an incident or threat may submit a Complaint Form on behalf of the victim.

Campus Complaint Procedure:

1) Students and staff members will complete a Complaint Form available in the school’s main office.

2) The Complaint Form will be submitted to the principal or designee immediately.

3) The principal or designee will investigate complaints by meeting separately with each student involved in the situation.

4) The principal will conference with the victim and parent/guardian to discuss safety and community resources.

5) The principal will conference with the alleged perpetrator and parent/guardian to discuss appropriate behaviors and consequences. With the prior consent of the victim, the principal may issue a School-Based Stay-Away Agreement to the alleged perpetrator during the parent/guardian conference.