Today, all our students and teachers participated in “See Something, Say Something,” a discussion about how we can learn not to bully and harass in our school community. It’s the latest piece in keeping everyone safe with knowledge, tools, and a commitment to our PRIDE principles (Perseverance, Respect, Inclusion, Discovery, and Empathy).
You can help your student and our community by extending this conversation at home. Ask your student about the following summary of the class discussion today:
- Bullying and harassment happen, but that doesn’t mean we can accept it or let it continue. What matters most is what we do when we “See Something.”
- Whether it’s an interaction among students, a message, a photo, or anything that doesn’t seem right, that does harm, or breaks the trust in our community, we should “Say Something.”
- Bullying and harassment does not need to be directed at a specific person. It can be general comments or behavior that targets a group of people.
- Use any of these reporting methods:
- visit our district reporting page for options, including anonymous reports;
- speak to any trusted adult at school, at home, or anywhere you feel comfortable.
- If your student feels safe, it helps to speak up immediately and say, “Hey, that’s not okay.”
You and your student should know that we investigate all reports, but those investigations or the results most likely will not be apparent. We are obligated by law to protect the privacy of students in any disciplinary action. Whether the student is the perpetrator or the victim, the law protects the privacy of students in public schools.
You can learn more about the policies set by your school board representatives on our district website (use the search function for “bully” or “discipline”). Translations are provided.
Bullying and harassment loses much of its power when the community surrounding our students follows the lessons in “See Something, Say Something.” The victim knows that they have support and the perpetrator knows that we (adults and students) don’t tolerate it.