Anti-Bullying/Harassment Policy
The East Marshall Community School District is committed to providing all students with a safe and civil school environment in which all members of the school community are treated with dignity and respect. Bullying and/or harassment of or by students, staff, and volunteers is against federal, state, and local policy and is not tolerated by the board. Bullying and/or harassing behavior can seriously disrupt the ability of school employees to maintain a safe and civil environment, and the ability of students to learn and succeed. Therefore, it is the policy of the state and the school district that school employees, volunteers, and students shall not engage in bullying or harassing behavior in school, on school property, or at any school function or school-sponsored activity. Definitions For the purposes of this policy, the defined words shall have the following meaning:
• “Electronic” means any communication involving the transmission of information by wire, radio, optic cable, electromagnetic, or other similar means. “Electronic” includes but is not limited to communication via electronic mail, internet-based communications, pager service, cell phones, and electronic text messaging.
• “Harassment” and “bullying” shall mean any electronic, written, verbal, or physical act or conduct toward a student based on the individual’s actual or perceived age, color, creed, national origin, race, religion, marital status, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, physical attributes, physical or mental ability or disability, ancestry, political party preference, political belief, socioeconomic status, or familial status, and which creates an objectively hostile school environment that meets one or more of the following conditions:
1) Places the student in reasonable fear of harm to the student’s person or property.
2) Has a substantial detrimental effect on the student’s physical or mental health.
3) Has the effect of substantially interfering with a student’s academic performance.
4) Has the effect of substantially interfering with the student’s ability to participate in or benefit from the services, activities, or privileges provided by a school.
• “Trait or characteristic of the student” includes but is not limited to age, color, creed, national origin, race, religion, marital status, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, physical attributes, physical or mental ability or disability, ancestry, political party preference, political belief, socioeconomic status, or familial status.
• “Volunteer” means an individual who has regular, significant contact with students. Code No. 104
Hazing
East Marshall High School and Middle School Coaches will maintain a “zero tolerance” towards any type of hazing activities. Hazing, usually a form of initiation, is defined as any practice(even “harmless fun”, “bonding”, and “practical”, etc.) whereby one part of a group is made or “asked” to do anything that the remaining part of the group is exempt from doing by virtue of seniority or other “privileged” status.