Bullying occurs when a student or group of students engages in written or verbal expression, expression through electronic means, or physical conduct that occurs on school property, at a school-sponsored or school-related activity, or in a vehicle operated by the district and a school district’s board of trustees or the board’s designee determines that the behavior:

1. Has the effect or will have the effect of physically harming a student, damaging a student’s property, or placing a student in reasonable fear of harm to the student’s person or of damage to the student’s property; or

2. Is sufficiently severe, persistent, and pervasive enough that the action or threat creates an intimidating, threatening, or abusive educational environment for a student.

This conduct is considered bullying if it:

1. Exploits an imbalance of power between the student perpetrator who is engaging in bullying and the student victim through written or verbal expression or physical conduct; and

2. Interferes with a student’s education or substantially disrupts the operation of a school.

Bullying could include hazing, threats, taunting, teasing, assault, demands for money, destruction of property, theft of valued possessions, name-calling, rumor-spreading, or ostracism. In some cases, bullying can occur through electronic methods, called “cyber bullying”.

If a student believes that he or she has experienced bullying, it is important for the student or parent to notify a teacher, counselor, principal, or another district employee as soon as possible to obtain assistance and intervention. The administration will investigate any allegations of bullying or related misconduct. If the results of an investigation indicate that the bullying has occurred, the administration will take appropriate disciplinary action. Disciplinary or other action may be taken even if the conduct did not rise to the level of bullying. The district will also contact the parents of the victim and of the student who was found to have engaged in the bullying. Available counseling options will be provided to these individuals, as well as to any students who have been identified as witnesses to the bullying.

Any retaliation against a student who reports an incident of bullying is prohibited.

The principal may, in response to an identified case of bullying, decide to transfer a student found to have engaged in bullying to another classroom at the campus. In consultation with the student’s parent, the student may be transferred to another campus in the district. The parent of a student who has been determined by the district to be a victim of bullying may request that his or her child be transferred to another classroom or campus within the district.

Royal ISD prohibits the bullying of a student and also prohibits retaliation against any person, including a victim, a witness, or another person, who in good faith provides information concerning an incident of bullyinh. Royal ISD establishes a procedure for providing notice of an incident of bullying to a parent or guardian of the victim and a parent or guardian of the bully within a reasonable amount of time after the incident. Royal ISD also establishes the actions a student should take to obtain assistance and intervention in response to bullying.

Royal ISD sets out the available counseling options for a student who is a victim of or a witness to bullying or who engages in bullying. RISD also establishes procedures for reporting an incident of bullying, investigating a reported incident of bullying, and determining whether the reported incident of bullying occurred. Royal ISD prohibits the imposition of a disciplinary measure on a student who, after an investigation, is found to be a victim of bullying, on the basis of that student’s use of reasonable self-defense in response to the bullying. The district requires that discipline for bullying of a student with disabilities comply with applicable requirements under federal law, including the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (20 U.S.C. Section 1400 et seq.).

A copy of the district’s policy is available in the principal’s office, superintendent’s office, and on the district’s Web site.

A student or parent who is dissatisfied with the outcome of an investigation may appeal through policy FNG (LOCAL).