Policy 5111 – Bullying

The Kenosha Unified School District strives to provide a safe, secure and respectful learning environment for all students and staff members in District buildings, on District grounds, on vehicles transporting students to or from school, and at school-sponsored activities on or off school grounds. Bullying has a harmful social, physical, psychological, and academic impact on bullies, victims and witnesses, and is prohibited by the District.

Bullying is prohibited on all District grounds, in all District buildings, and in all District educational environments, including any property or vehicle owned, leased or used by the school district. This includes public transportation used by District students to go to or from school. Educational environments include, but are not limited to, non-District buildings or grounds used in connection with school-sponsored activities.

“Bullying” is defined as deliberate or intentional behavior using words or actions, intended to cause fear, intimidation or harm. Bullying involves an imbalance of power – the person bullying has more social or physical power than the person being bullied. Bullying also most often involves repeated behaviors -repeated over time toward the same person or group of people. Bullying may be motivated by an actual or perceived distinguishing characteristic, including, but not limited to: age, sex, race, religion, national origin or undocumented/immigration status (including limited English proficiency), ancestry, creed, color, pregnancy, marital or parental status, sexual orientation, transgender status, gender expression, gender identity and gender nonconformity (see, Policy 5110.2), or physical, mental, emotional or learning disability and social, economic or family status. Bullying can manifest itself in conduct that is:

  • Physical (e.g., hitting, punching, or kicking);
  • Verbal or written conduct (e.g., threatening or intimidating language, teasing, or name-calling);
  • Indirect (e.g., spreading rumors, intimidation through gestures, or social exclusion);
  • Cyber. Cyber bullying can occur through technology like email, chat rooms, instant messaging, websites, text messages, digital applications or social media. Cyber bullying can take place at school or outside of school if it impacts student learning while at school or under school supervision; and
  • Hate acts (e.g., a prejudice-motivated act which occurs when a perpetrator targets a victim because of their membership (or perceived membership) in a certain social group or race.)

The conduct identified above is not intended and should not be construed as an exhaustive or comprehensive listing of conduct/behavior that may be deemed bullying by the District. If any student or staff member believes that bullying is occurring on any basis they should seek to invoke the protections of this policy.

All District staff members who observe or are informed of bullying must report it in writing to the building principal or assistant principal. All other persons who are aware of bullying in the District are encouraged to report the conduct to the building principal or assistant principal. Upon receipt of a bullying report, the building principal or assistant principal will investigate the allegations. All reports of bullying shall be taken seriously, properly investigated and documented. If an act of bullying implicates harassment in violation of Policy 4111 (Employee Anti-Harassment) or Policy 5110.1 (Student Equal Opportunity and Non Discrimination in Education), the building principal or assistant principal shall provide notice of the bullying complaint to the Chief Human Resource Officer (CHRO) so that the processes provided for in those Policies can be instituted.

The District prohibits retaliation against individuals who report or participate in an investigation of bullying. Individuals engaging in prohibited retaliatory behavior are subject to disciplinary action. If it is determined that bullying or retaliatory conduct occurred, the school district administration shall take disciplinary action, including but not limited to: counseling, detention, suspension, expulsion and/or referral to law enforcement officials for possible legal action as appropriate. Student support staff will provide support services for all students involved in the incident as deemed necessary and appropriate.

This policy shall be distributed annually to all students enrolled in the District, their parents and/or guardians and District staff member s through the student information system or direct emails. The policy will also be distributed to organizations having cooperative agreements with the District and will be available to anyone upon request.

LEGAL REF.:

  • Wisconsin Statutes Sections
    • 118.01(2)(d)8 Educational Goals and Expectations
    • 118.02(9t) Special Observation Days
    • 118.13 Pupil Discrimination
    • 118.46 Policy on Bullying
    • Wisconsin Administrative Code PI 9 – Rules implementing student nondiscrimination

CROSS REF.:

  • Title IX, Educational Amendments of 1972 (Sex discrimination, including sexual harassment, prohibited)
  • Policy 2810, Incident Reporting
  • Policy 4111, Employee Harassment
  • Policy 5473, Student Suspensions
  • Policy 5474, Student Expulsions
  • Policy 5475, Students with Disabilities
  • Policy 5540, Abused/Neglect

ADMINISTRATIVE REGULATIONS: None

AFFIRMED: January 11, 1994

REVISED:

  • October 8, 1996
  • January 29, 2002
  • February 22, 2011
  • July 22, 2014
  • November 17, 2020