Handbooks

Western CUSD Bullying Prevention Policy

Preventing Bullying, Intimidation, Harassment and Sexual Harassment

Bullying, intimidation, harassment, and sexual harassment are not acceptable in any form and will not be tolerated at school or any school-related activity, on school property, on school buses and transportation vehicles or through a school computer, network, other school electronic equipment, or other electronic means including but not limited to electronic social networking. The school will protect students against retaliation for reporting incidents of bullying, intimidation, harassment, or sexual harassment and will take disciplinary action against any student who participates in such conduct.

No person shall harass, intimidate or bully another based upon a perceived race, color, nationality, sex, sexual orientation, gender-related identity or expression, ancestry, age, religion, creed, physical or mental disability, gender identity, order of protection status, status as homeless, or actual or potential marital or parental status, including pregnancy, unfavorable discharge from military service, association with a person or group with one or more of the aforementioned actual or perceived characteristic or any other distinguished characteristic. The school and district will not tolerate harassing, intimidating conduct, or bullying whether verbal, physical, or visual, that affects the tangible benefits of education, that unreasonably interferes with a student’s educational performance, or that creates an intimidating, hostile, or offensive educational environment.

Bullying means any severe or pervasive physical or verbal act or conduct, including communications made in writing or electronically, directed toward a student that has or can be reasonably predicted to have the effect of: (1) placing the student in reasonable fear of harm to the student’s person or property; (2) causing a substantially detrimental effect on the student’s physical or mental health; (3) substantially interferes with the student’s academic performance; or (4) substantially interferes with the student’s ability to participate in or benefit from the services, activities, or privileges provided by the school.

Cyberbullying at non-school-related locations or functions or from the use of a device that is not owned, leased, or used by a school district or school. Board policy prohibits cyber-bullying if it causes a substantial disruption to the education process or orderly operation of a school. The school is not required to monitor nonschool-related activities, functions, or programs. The school will investigate whether a reported act of bullying is within the permissible scope of the district’s or school’s jurisdiction and requires that the district or school provide the victim with information regarding services that are available within the district and community.

Harassment is any physical, mental or verbal abuse of a person because of his/her race, religion, age, gender, sexual orientation, disability, or individual traits and characteristics. Harassment is also conduct that creates physical injury and/or mental anguish to another person, with the intent to bother, scare, intimidate, harass or abuse him/her.

Sexual harassment occurs when a person is subject to unwelcome sexual advances, requests for sexual favors, or other verbal or physical conduct of a sexual nature to such an extent that it creates an abusive environment. Sexual harassment may include touching, feeling, groping and/or repeated unpleasant, degrading and/or sexist remarks. Pornography displayed or emailed may also constitute sexual harassment.

Examples of prohibited conduct include, without limitation, any use of violence, intimidation, force, noise, coercion, threats, stalking, harassment, sexual harassment, public humiliation, theft or destruction of property, retaliation, hazing, bullying, bullying through the transmission of information from a school computer, a school computer network, or other similar electronic school equipment, or other comparable conduct.

Students who believe they are victims of bullying, intimidation or harassment or have witnessed such activities are encouraged to discuss the matter with the student nondiscrimination coordinator, building administrator or a complaint manager. Students may choose to report to a person of the student’s same sex. Complaints will be kept confidential to the extent possible given the need to investigate. Students who make good faith complaints will not be disciplined.

Any student who is determined, after an investigation, to have engaged in bullying, intimidation or harassment will be subject to disciplinary consequences as provided in this handbook, including but not limited to, suspension and expulsion consistent with the school and district’s discipline policy. Parents of students who have engaged in the above behavior will be notified. Any student making a knowingly false accusation regarding harassment may also be subject to disciplinary consequences.

Nondiscrimination Coordinator:

Complaint Managers:

Mrs. Connie Thomas, WES/WHS Principal
Mrs. Brandi Pennock, WJHS Principal

400 McDonough Street 300 Cheney Street

Barry, IL 62312 Kinderhook, IL 62345

217-335-2323 217-432-8324