Board Policy
Bullying
BP 5131.2 
Students
The Governing Board recognizes the harmful effects of bullying on student well-being, student learning, and school attendance and desires to provide a safe school environment that protects students from physical and emotional harm. No individual or group shall, through physical, written, verbal, visual, or other means, harass, sexually harass, threaten, intimidate, cyberbully, cause bodily injury to, or commit hate violence against any student or school personnel, or retaliate against them for filing a complaint or participating in the complaint resolution process.
(cf. 5131 - Conduct)
(cf. 5136 - Gangs)
(cf. 5145.3 - Nondiscrimination/Harassment)
(cf. 5145.7 - Sexual Harassment)
(cf. 5145.9 - Hate-Motivated Behavior)
The Superintendent or designee shall develop strategies for addressing bullying in district schools with the involvement of students, parents/guardians, and staff. As appropriate, the Superintendent or designee may also collaborate with social services, mental health services, law enforcement, courts, and other agencies and community organizations in the development and implementation of effective strategies to promote safety in schools and the community.
(cf. 1220 - Citizen Advisory Committees)
(cf. 1400 - Relations Between Other Governmental Agencies and the Schools)
(cf. 6020 - Parent Involvement)
Such strategies shall be incorporated into the comprehensive safety plan and, to the extent possible, into 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. 0460 - Local Control and Accountability Plan)
Any complaint of bullying shall be investigated and, if determined to be discriminatory, resolved in accordance with law and the district's uniform complaint procedures specified in AR 1312.3. If, during the investigation, it is determined that a complaint is about nondiscriminatory bullying, the principal or designee shall inform the complainant and shall take all necessary actions to resolve the complaint.
(cf. 1312.3 - Uniform Complaint Procedures)
If the Superintendent or designee believes it is in the best interest of a student who has been the victim of an act of bullying, as defined in Education Code 48900, the Superintendent or designee shall advise the student's parents/guardians that the student may transfer to another school.  If the parents/guardians of a student who has been the victim of an act of bullying requests a transfer for the student pursuant to Education Code 46600, the Superintendent or designee shall allow the transfer in accordance with law and district policy on intradistrict or interdistrict transfer, as applicable.
(cf. 5116.1 - Intradistrict Open Enrollment)
(cf. 5117 - Interdistrict Attendance)
Any employee who permits or engages in bullying or retaliation related to bullying shall be subject to disciplinary action, up to and including dismissal.
(cf. 4118 - Dismissal/Suspension/Disciplinary Action)
(cf. 4119.21/4219.21/4319.21 - Professional Standards)
(cf. 4218 - Dismissal/Suspension/Disciplinary Action)
Legal Reference:
EDUCATION CODE
200-262.4  Prohibition of discrimination
32282  Comprehensive safety plan
32283.5  Bullying; online training
35181  Governing board policy on responsibilities of students
35291-35291.5  Rules
46600  Student transfers
48900-48925  Suspension or expulsion
48985  Translation of notices
52060-52077  Local control and accountability plan
PENAL CODE
422.55  Definition of hate crime
647  Use of camera or other instrument to invade person's privacy; misdemeanor
647.7  Use of camera or other instrument to invade person's privacy; punishment
653.2  Electronic communication devices, threats to safety
CODE OF REGULATIONS, TITLE 5
4600-4670  Uniform complaint procedures
UNITED STATES CODE, TITLE 47
254  Universal service discounts (e-rate)
CODE OF FEDERAL REGULATIONS, TITLE 28
35.107  Nondiscrimination on basis of disability; complaints
CODE OF FEDERAL REGULATIONS, TITLE 34
104.7  Designation of responsible employee for Section 504
106.8  Designation of responsible employee for Title IX
110.25  Notification of nondiscrimination on the basis of age
COURT DECISIONS
Wynar v. Douglas County School District, (2013) 728 F.3d 1062
J.C. v. Beverly Hills Unified School District, (2010) 711 F.Supp.2d 1094
Lavine v. Blaine School District, (2002) 279 F.3d 719

Management Resources:
CSBA PUBLICATIONS
Final Guidance:  AB 1266, Transgender and Gender Nonconforming Students, Privacy, Programs, Activities & Facilities, Legal Guidance, March 2014
Providing a Safe, Nondiscriminatory School Environment for Transgender and Gender-Nonconforming Students, Policy Brief, February 2014
Addressing the Conditions of Children:  Focus on Bullying, Governance Brief, December 2012
Safe Schools:  Strategies for Governing Boards to Ensure Student Success, 2011
Cyberbullying:  Policy Considerations for Boards, Policy Brief, rev. July 2010
Building Healthy Communities:  A School Leaders Guide to Collaboration and Community Engagement, 2009
CALIFORNIA DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION PUBLICATIONS
Bullying Module
California's Social and Emotional Learning:  Guiding Principles, 2018
Social and Emotional Learning in California: A Guide to Resources, 2018
Health Education Content Standards for California Public Schools:  Kindergarten Through Grade Twelve, 2008
Bullying at School, 2003
CALIFORNIA OFFICE OF THE ATTORNEY GENERAL PUBLICATIONS
Promoting a Safe and Secure Learning Environment for All:  Guidance and Model Policies to Assist California K-12 Schools in Responding to Immigration Issues, April 2018
U.S. DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION, OFFICE FOR CIVIL RIGHTS PUBLICATIONS
Dear Colleague Letter:  Responding to Bullying of Students with Disabilities, October 2014
Guidance to America's Schools:  Bullying of Students with Disabilities, October 2014
Dear Colleague Letter:  Guidance on Schools' Obligations to Protect Students from Student-on-Student Harassment on the Basis of Sex; Race, Color and National Origin; and Disability, October 26, 2010
Dear Colleague Letter:  Harassment and Bullying, October 2010
WEB SITES
CSBA:  http://www.csba.org
California Department of Education, Safe Schools Office:  http://www.cde.ca.gov/ls/ss
California Office of the Attorney General:  http://oag.ca.gov
Center on Great Teachers and Leaders:  http://gtlcenter.org
Collaborative for Academic Social and Emotional Learning:  http://casel.org
Common Sense Media:  http://www.commonsensemedia.org
National School Safety Center:  http://www.schoolsafety.us
Partnership for Children and Youth:  http://www.partnerforchildren.org
U.S. Department of Education:  http://www.ed.gov

Board approved 02/11/2020

									(5/18  5/19)  12/19