508 - Bullying Policy

 

PACT Charter School

Original Creation Date: November 15, 2014
Last Approved By: PACT Charter School Board of Directors
Last Approved Date: December 7, 2023
Year Reviewed: 2023-2024


 

 

PURPOSE

A safe and civil environment is needed for students to learn and attain high academic standards and to promote healthy human relationships. Like other violent or disruptive behavior, bullying is conduct that interferes with a student's ability to learn and/or a teacher's ability to educate students in a safe environment. PACT cannot monitor students' activities at all times and eliminate all incidents of bullying between students, particularly when students are not under the direct supervision of school personnel. However, to the extent such conduct affects the educational environment of the school and the rights and welfare of its students and is within the control of the school in its normal operations, PACT intends to prevent bullying and to take action to investigate, respond to, and to remediate and discipline for those acts of bullying which have not been successfully prevented. The purpose of this policy is to assist the school in its goal of preventing and responding to acts of bullying, intimidation, violence, reprisal, retaliation, and other similar disruptive and detrimental behavior.

 

GENERAL STATEMENT OF POLICY

  1. An act of bullying, by either an individual student or a group of students, is expressly prohibited: 
    1. on school premises, on school property, at school functions or activities, or on school transportation. 
    2. by the use of electronic technology
  2. This policy applies not only to students who directly engage in the act of bullying but also to students who, by their indirect behavior, condone, or support another student's act of bullying. This policy also applies to any student whose conduct at any time or in any place constitutes bullying or other prohibited conduct that interferes with or obstructs the mission or operations of the school or the safety or welfare of the student or other students, or materially and substantially interferes with a student's educational opportunities or performance or ability to participate in school functions or activities or receive school benefits, services, or privileges. This policy also applies to an act of cyberbullying regardless of whether such act is committed on or off school property and/or with or without the use of school resources. This policy also applies to sexual exploitation. 
  3. Malicious and sadistic conduct is prohibited. This prohibition applies to students, independent contractors, teachers, administrators, and other school personnel or volunteers. 
  4. Malicious and sadistic conduct and sexual exploitation by a PACT staff member, volunteer, independent contractor, or enrolled student against a staff member, volunteer, independent contractor, or student that occurs as described in Article II.A above is prohibited. 
  5. No teacher, administrator, volunteer, contractor, or school employee shall permit, condone, or tolerate bullying. 
  6. Apparent permission or consent by a student being bullied does not lessen or negate the prohibitions contained in this policy. 
  7. Retaliation against a victim, good faith reporter, or a witness of bullying is prohibited. 
  8. False accusations or reports of bullying against another student are prohibited. 
  9. A person who engages in the act of bullying, reprisal, retaliation, or false reporting of bullying or permits, condones, or tolerates bullying shall be subject to discipline or other remedial responses for that act in accordance with the school's policies and procedures, including the school's discipline policy (506- Discipline Policy). PACT may take into account the following factors: 
    1. The developmental ages and maturity levels of the parties involved;
    2. The levels of harm, surrounding circumstances, and nature of the behavior; 
    3. Past incidences or past or continuing patterns of behavior;
    4. The relationship between the parties involved; and 
    5. The context in which the alleged incidents occurred. 

    Consequences for students who commit prohibited acts of bullying may range from remedial responses or positive behavioral interventions up to and including suspension and/or expulsion. PACT shall employ research-based developmentally appropriate best practices that include preventative and remedial measures and effective discipline for deterring violations of this policy, apply throughout the school, and foster student, parent, and community participation. 

    Consequences for employees who permit, condone, or tolerate bullying or engage in the act of reprisal or intentional false reporting of bullying may result in disciplinary action up to and including termination or discharge. 

    Consequences for other individuals engaging in prohibited acts of bullying may include, but not be limited to, exclusion from school property and events. 

  10. PACT will investigate all complaints of bullying reported to the school and discipline or take appropriate action against any individual who is found to have violated this policy.

DEFINITIONS

For purposes of this policy, the definitions included in this section apply. 

  1. "Bullying" means intimidating, threatening, abusive, or harming, objectively offensive conduct and:

    1. an actual or perceived imbalance of power exists between the student engaging in the prohibited conduct and the target of the prohibited conduct, and the conduct is repeated or forms a pattern; or

    2. materially and substantially interferes with a student's educational opportunities or performance or ability to participate in school functions or activities or receive school benefits, services, or privileges. The term "bullying" specifically includes cyberbullying, malicious and sadistic conduct, and sexual exploitation as defined in this policy. 

  2. "Cyberbullying" means bullying using technology or other electronic communication, including, but not limited to, a transfer of a sign, signal, writing, image, sound, or data, including a post on a social network, Internet website or forum, transmitted through a computer, cell phone, or other electronic devices. The term applies to prohibited conduct which occurs on school premises, on school property, at school functions or activities, on school transportation, or school computers, networks, forums, and mailing lists, or off school premises to the extent that it substantially and materially disrupts student learning or the school environment. 
  3. "Immediately" means as soon as possible but in no event longer than 24 hours. If the end of the 24 hours falls on a non-student contact day, such as a weekend or holiday, the 24-hour time period will expire on the next student contact day. 
  4. "Intimidating, threatening, abusive, or harming conduct" means, but is not limited to, conduct that does the following: 
    1. Causes physical harm to a student or a student's property or causes a student to be in reasonable fear of harm to person or property; 
    2. Under Minnesota common law violates a student's reasonable expectation of privacy, defames a student, or constitutes intentional infliction of emotional distress against a student; or 
    3. Is directed at any student or students, including those based on a person's actual or perceived race, ethnicity, color, creed, religion, national origin, immigration status, sex, marital status, familial status, socioeconomic status, physical appearance, sexual orientation including gender identity and expression, academic status related to student performance, disability, or status with regard to public assistance, age, or any additional characteristic defined in the Minnesota Human Rights Act (MHRA). However, prohibited conduct need not be based on any particular characteristic defined in this paragraph or the MHRA. 
  5. “Malicious and sadistic conduct” means creating a hostile learning environment by acting with the intent to cause harm by intentionally injuring another without just cause or reason or engaging in extreme or excessive cruelty or delighting in cruelty. 

  6. "On school premises, on school property, at school functions or activities, or on school transportation" means all school buildings, school grounds, and school property or property immediately adjacent to school grounds, school bus stops, school buses, school vehicles, school contracted vehicles, or any other vehicles approved for school purposes, the area of entrance or departure from school grounds, premises, or events, and all school-related functions, school-sponsored activities, events, or trips. School property also may mean a student's walking route to or from school for purposes of attending a school or school-related functions, activities, or events. While prohibiting bullying at these locations and events, PACT does not represent that it will provide supervision or assume liability at these locations and events. 
  7. "Prohibited conduct" means bullying,cyberbullying, malicious and sadistic conduct, sexual exploitation, or retaliation or reprisal for asserting, alleging, reporting, or providing information about such conduct or knowingly making a false report about prohibited conduct. 
  8. "Remedial response" means a measure to stop and correct prohibited conduct, prevent prohibited conduct from recurring, and protect, support, and intervene on behalf of a student who is the target or victim of prohibited conduct. 
  9. "Student" means a student enrolled in a school.

 

REPORTING PROCEDURE

  1. Any person who believes they have been the target or victim of bullying or any person with knowledge or belief of conduct that may constitute bullying or prohibited conduct under this policy shall report the alleged acts immediately to an appropriate school official designated by this policy. A person may report bullying anonymously. However, PACT may not rely solely on an anonymous report to determine discipline or other remedial responses.
  2. PACT encourages the reporting party or complainant to use the report form available from the Chief Executive Director, building supervisor of each building, available in the school office, or on the PACT website (HARASSMENT, VIOLENCE, DISCRIMINATION OR BULLYING REPORT), but oral reports shall be considered complaints as well. 
  3. The Chief Executive Director, or designee, or the building supervisor (hereinafter the "building report taker") is the person responsible for receiving reports of bullying or other prohibited conduct at the building level. Any person may report bullying or other prohibited conduct directly to PACT's human rights officer or Chief Executive Director. If the complaint involves the building report taker, the complaint shall be made or filed directly with the Chief Executive Director or the school's human rights officer by the reporting party or complainant. 

    The building report taker shall ensure that this policy and its procedures, practices, consequences, and sanctions are fairly and fully implemented and shall serve as the primary contact on policy and procedural matters. The building report taker or a third party designated by the school shall be responsible for the investigation. The building report taker shall provide information about available community resources to the target or victim of the bullying or other prohibited conduct, the perpetrator, and other affected individuals as appropriate. 

  4. A teacher, administrator, volunteer, contractor, or other school employees shall be particularly alert to possible situations, circumstances, or events that might include bullying. Any such person who witnesses, observes, receives a report of, or has other knowledge or belief of conduct that may constitute bullying or other prohibited conduct shall make reasonable efforts to address and resolve the bullying or prohibited conduct and shall inform the building report taker immediately. School personnel who fail to notify the building report taker of conduct that may constitute bullying or other prohibited conduct or who fail to make reasonable efforts to address and resolve the bullying or prohibited conduct promptly may be subject to disciplinary action.
  5. Reports of bullying or other prohibited conduct are classified as private educational and/or personnel data and/or confidential investigative data. They will not be disclosed except as permitted by law. In conjunction with the responsible authority, the building report taker shall be responsible for keeping and regulating access to any report of bullying and the record of any resulting investigation. 
  6. Submission of a good faith complaint or report of bullying or other prohibited conduct will not affect the complainant's or reporter's future employment, grades, work assignments, or educational or work environment. 
  7. PACT will respect the privacy of the complainant(s), the individual(s) against whom the complaint is filed, and the witnesses as much as possible, consistent with the school's obligation to investigate, take appropriate action, and comply with any legal disclosure obligations.

 

SCHOOL ACTION

  1. Within three school days of the receipt of a complaint or report of bullying or other prohibited conduct, PACT shall undertake or authorize an investigation by the building report taker or a third party designated by PACT. 
  2. The building report taker or other appropriate school officials may take immediate steps, at their discretion, to protect the target or victim of the bullying or other prohibited conduct, the complainant, the reporter, and students or others, pending completion of an investigation of the bullying or other prohibited conduct, consistent with applicable law.
  3. The alleged perpetrator of the bullying or other prohibited conduct shall be allowed the opportunity to present a defense during the investigation or before the imposition of discipline or other remedial responses.
  4. Upon completing an investigation that determines that bullying or other prohibited conduct has occurred, PACT will take appropriate action. Such action may include but is not limited to warning, suspension, exclusion, expulsion, transfer, remediation, termination, or discharge. Disciplinary consequences will be sufficiently severe to try to deter violations and to discipline prohibited conduct appropriately. Remedial responses to the bullying or other prohibited conduct shall be tailored to the conduct's particular incident and nature. They shall take into account the factors specified in Section II.F. of this policy. School action taken for violation of this policy will be consistent with applicable statutory authority requirements, including the Minnesota Pupil Fair Dismissal Act, PACT's discipline policy and other applicable school policies, and applicable regulations.
  5. PACT is not authorized to disclose to a victim private educational or personnel data regarding an alleged perpetrator who is a student or employee of the school. School officials will notify the parent(s) or guardian(s) of students who are targets of bullying or other prohibited conduct and the parent(s) or guardian(s) of alleged perpetrators of bullying or other prohibited conduct who have been involved in a reported and confirmed bullying incident of the remedial or disciplinary action taken, to the extent permitted by law.
  6. To prevent or respond to bullying or other prohibited conduct committed by or directed against a child with a disability, PACT shall, when determined appropriate by the child's individualized education plan (IEP) team or Section 504 team, allow the child's IEP or Section 504 plan to be drafted to address the skills and proficiencies the child needs as a result of the child's disability to allow the child to respond to or not to engage in bullying or other prohibited conduct.

 

RETALIATION OR REPRISAL

PACT will discipline or take appropriate action against any student, teacher, administrator, volunteer, contractor, or other employee of PACT who commits an act of reprisal or who retaliates against any person who asserts, alleges, or makes a good faith report of alleged bullying or prohibited conduct, who provides information about bullying or prohibited conduct, who testifies, assists, or participates in an investigation of alleged bullying or prohibited conduct, or who testifies, assists, or participates in a proceeding or hearing relating to such bullying or prohibited conduct. Retaliation includes, but is not limited to, any form of intimidation, reprisal, harassment, or intentional disparate treatment. Disciplinary consequences will be sufficiently severe to deter violations and appropriately discipline the individual(s) who engaged in the prohibited conduct. Remedial responses to the prohibited conduct shall be tailored to the particular incident and nature of the conduct and shall consider the factors specified in Section II.F. of this policy.

 

TRAINING AND EDUCATION

  1. PACT shall discuss this policy with school personnel and volunteers and provide appropriate training to school personnel regarding this policy. PACT shall establish a training cycle for school personnel to occur during a period not to exceed every three school years. Newly employed school personnel must receive the training within the first year of their employment with PACT. PACT or a school administrator may accelerate the training cycle or provide additional training based on a particular need or circumstance. This policy shall be included in employee handbooks, training materials, and publications on school rules, procedures, and standards of conduct, which materials shall also be used to publicize this policy. 

  2. PACT shall require ongoing professional development, consistent with Minn. Stat. § 122A.60, to build the skills of all school personnel who regularly interact with students to identify, prevent, and appropriately address bullying and other prohibited conduct. Such professional development includes, but is not limited to, the following: 
    1. Developmentally appropriate strategies both to prevent and to immediately and effectively intervene to stop prohibited conduct;
    2. The complex dynamics affecting a perpetrator, target, and witnesses to prohibited conduct; 
    3. Research on prohibited conduct, including specific categories of students at risk for perpetrating or being the target or victim of bullying or other prohibited conduct in school; 
    4. The incidence and nature of cyberbullying; and 
    5. Internet safety and cyberbullying. 
  3. PACT annually provides education and information to students regarding bullying, including information regarding this policy prohibiting bullying, the harmful effects of bullying, and other applicable initiatives from preventing bullying and other prohibited conduct.
  4. The administration of PACT implements programs and other initiatives to prevent bullying, respond to bullying in a manner that does not stigmatize the target or victim, and make resources or referrals to resources available to targets or bullying victims.
  5. The administration may provide developmentally appropriate instruction and will review programmatic instruction to determine if adjustments are necessary to help students identify and prevent or reduce bullying and other prohibited conduct, to value diversity in school and society, to develop and improve students' knowledge and skills for solving problems, managing conflict, engaging in civil discourse, and recognizing, responding to, and reporting bullying or other prohibited conduct, and to make effective prevention and intervention programs available to students. 

    The administration establishes strategies for creating a favorable school climate and uses evidence-based social-emotional learning to prevent and reduce discrimination and other improper conduct. 

    The administration may, to the extent practicable, take such actions as it may deem appropriate to accomplish the following: 

    1. Engage all students in creating a safe and supportive school environment; 
    2. Partner with parents and other community members to develop and implement prevention and intervention programs; 
    3. Engage all students and adults in integrating education, intervention, and other remedial responses into the school environment; 
    4. Train student bystanders to intervene in and report incidents of bullying and other prohibited conduct to the schools' primary contact person; 
    5. Teach students to advocate for themselves and others;
    6. Prevent inappropriate referrals to special education of students who may engage in bullying or other prohibited conduct; and
    7. Foster student collaborations that, in turn, foster a safe and supportive school climate. 
  6. PACT may implement violence prevention and character development education programs to prevent or reduce policy violations. Such programs may offer instruction on character education, including, but not limited to, character qualities such as attentiveness, truthfulness, respect for authority, diligence, gratefulness, self-discipline, patience, forgiveness, respect for others, peacemaking, and resourcefulness. 

  7. PACT shall inform affected students and their parents of rights they may have under state and federal data practices laws to obtain access to data related to an incident and their right to contest the data's accuracy or completeness. PACT may accomplish this requirement by the inclusion of all or applicable parts of its protection and privacy of student records policy in the family handbook.

NOTICE

  1. PACT will give annual notice of this policy to students, parents or guardians, and staff, and this policy shall appear in the family handbook. 
  2. This policy or a summary thereof must be conspicuously posted in the administrative office of each school building. 
  3. This policy must be given to each PACT employee and independent contractor who regularly interacts with students at the time of initial employment with the school. 
  4. Notice of the rights and responsibilities of students and their parents under this policy must be included in the discipline policy (506-DISCIPLINE POLICY) distributed to parents at the beginning of each school year. 
  5. This policy shall be available to all parents and other school community members in an electronic format in the language appearing on PACT's website. 
  6. PACT shall provide an electronic copy of its most recently amended policy to the Commissioner of Education. 

 

POLICY REVIEW

To the extent practicable, the PACT Charter School Board of Directors shall, on a cycle consistent with other school policies, review and revise this policy. The policy shall be made consistent with Minn. Stat. § 121A.031 and § 121A.0312 and other applicable law. Revisions shall be made in consultation with students, parents, and community organizations. 

 

References 

Minn. Stat. Ch. 13 (Minnesota Government Data Practices Act) Minn. Stat. § 120A.05, Subds. 9, 11, 13, and 17 (Definitions) 

Minn. Stat. § 120B.232 (Character Development Education) Minn. Stat. § 121A.03 (Model Policy) 

Minn. Stat. §121A.031 (School Student Bullying Policy) 

Minn. Stat. § 121A.0312 (Malicious and Sadistic Conduct) 

Minn. Stat. § 121A.0311 (Notice of the Rights and Responsibilities of Students and Parents under the Safe and Supportive Minnesota Schools Act) 

Minn. Stat. § § 121A.40-121A.56 (Pupil Fair Dismissal Act) 

Minn. Stat. § 121A.69 (Hazing Policy) 

Minn. Stat. Ch. 124E (Character Schools) 

Minn. Stat. Ch. 363A (Minnesota Human Rights Act) 

20 U.S.C. § 1232g et seq. (Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act) 34 C.F.R. § § 99.1-99.67 (Family Educational Rights and Privacy)

 

 

Contact Us

PACT Charter School | District Offices
7250 East Ramsey Parkway NW
Ramsey, MN 55303 

PACT Charter School | Elementary Campus
7250 East Ramsey Parkway NW
Ramsey, MN 55303 

PACT Charter School | Secondary Campus
7729 - 161st Avenue Northwest
Ramsey, MN 55303 

Main phone line: 763-712-4200
Fax: 763-712-4201

Absence: attendance@pactcharter.org

MAP & DIRECTIONS

School Hours

Elementary Campus
8:15 a.m. - 3:15 p.m. 

Secondary Campus
8:00 a.m. - 3:05 p.m. 

Office Hours

School Days
7:30 a.m. - 4 p.m. 

Non-School Fridays
7:30 a.m. - Noon

School Breaks
Closed

Summer Hours
Monday-Thursday: 8 a.m. - 1 p.m.

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