Report Bullying
Bullying is defined as a single significant act or a pattern of acts by one or more scholars directed at another scholar that exploits an imbalance of power and involves engaging in written or verbal expression, expression through electronic means, or physical conduct that (1) has the effect or will have the effect of physically harming a scholar, damaging a scholar’s property, or placing a scholar in reasonable harm to the scholar’s person or of damage to the scholar’s property; (2) is sufficiently severe, persistent, or pervasive enough that the action or threat creates an intimidating, threatening, or abusive educational environment for a scholar; (3) materially and substantially disrupts the educational process or the orderly operation of a classroom or LPCA; or infringes on the rights of the victim at school. Bullying also includes “cyberbullying,” which means bullying that is done through the use of any electronic communication device including a cellular or other type of telephone, a computer, a camera, electronic mail, instant messaging, text messaging, a social medial application, an Internet website, or any other Internet-based communication tool. Bullying conduct includes conduct (1) that occurs on or is delivered to LPCA property or to the site of a school-sponsored or school-related activity on or off school property; (2) that occurs on a publicly or privately owned school bus or vehicle being used for transportation of scholars to or from school or a school-sponsored or school-related activity; and (3) cyberbullying that occurs off LPCA property or outside of a school-sponsored or school-related activity if the cyberbullying (i) interferes with a scholar’s educational opportunities or (ii) substantially disrupts the orderly operation of a classroom, the LPCA, or a school-sponsored or school-related activity.
Cyberbullying which means bullying done through the use of any electronic communication device, including the use of a cellular or other type of telephone, a computer, a camera, electronic mail, instant messaging, text messaging, a social media application, an Internet website, or any other Internet-based communication tool. Examples of cyberbullying include, but are not limited to:
• Creating a social networking site or web page that masquerades as another person’s personal site and using it to embarrass the other person.
• Making it appear that a person is posting malicious comments about friend to isolate the person from his or her friends.
• Posting a person’s personally identifiable information on a site to put the person at greater risk of contact by predators or strangers.
• Posting abusive comments on someone’s social networking site.
• Recording and distributing media with the intent to manipulate or embarrass others.
• Sending abusive comments while playing interactive games.
• Sending abusive text messages to cell phones, computers, or Internet-connected game consoles.
• Sending, posting, or sharing negative, harmful, false, or mean content about someone else.
• Sending, posting, or sharing statements encouraging another person to commit self- harm.
Freedom from Bullying and Cyberbullying
LPCA prohibits bullying as defined by this section, as well as retaliation against anyone involved in the complaint process. Bullying means a single significant act or a pattern of acts by one or more scholars directed at another scholar that exploits an imbalance of power and involves engaging in written or verbal expression, expression through electronic means, or physical conduct that:
● Has the effect or will have the effect of physically harming a scholar, damaging a scholar’s property, or placing a scholar in reasonable harm to the scholar’s person or of damage to the scholar’s property;
● Is sufficiently severe, persistent, or pervasive enough that the action or threat creates an intimidating, threatening, or abusive educational environment for a scholar; or
● Materially and substantially disrupts the educational process or the orderly operation of a classroom or the school; or
● Infringes on the rights of the victim at school.
Bullying also includes cyberbullying, which means bullying that is done through the use of any electronic communication device, including through the use of a cellular or other type of telephone, a computer, a camera, electronic mail, instant messaging, text messaging, a social media application, an Internet website, or any other Internet-based communication tool.
LPCA will also take steps to prevent and mediate bullying incidents between scholars that:
● Interfere with a scholar’s educational opportunities; or
● Substantially disrupt the orderly operations of a classroom, school, or school-sponsored or school- related activity.
The school’s bullying policy applies to:
● Bullying that occurs on or is delivered to school property or to the site of a school-sponsored or school-related activity on or off school property;
● Bullying that occurs on a publicly or privately owned school bus or vehicle being used for transportation of scholars to or from school or a school-sponsored or school-related activity;
● Cyberbullying that occurs off school property or outside of a school-sponsored or school-related activity if the cyberbullying: o Interferes with a scholar’s educational opportunities; or
● Substantially disrupts the orderly operation of a classroom, school, or school-sponsored or school-related activity.