BullyingBullyingPresented by:Presented by:

Tracy AmbuehlTracy Ambuehl

Shelley WilliamsShelley Williams

Legal/Ethical-Legal/Ethical-20042004

What is Bullying?What is Bullying?

• Characterized by the followingCharacterized by the following

-- aggressive behavior or intentional aggressive behavior or intentional “harm “harm doing”doing”

-- carried out repeatedly and over time;carried out repeatedly and over time;

-- occurs within an interpersonal occurs within an interpersonal relationshiprelationship

by imbalance of powerby imbalance of power

Ways to BullyWays to Bully

• PhysicalPhysical hitting, kicking, pushing, chokinghitting, kicking, pushing, choking

• VerbalVerbal

name calling, threatening, taunting, name calling, threatening, taunting, malicious teasing, spreading nasty malicious teasing, spreading nasty

rumors rumors

• Some othersSome others

Making faces, obscene gestures, or Making faces, obscene gestures, or intentional exclusion from a groupintentional exclusion from a group

Consequences of BullyingConsequences of Bullying

•Bullying may lead to physical, Bullying may lead to physical, emotional, or mental injuryemotional, or mental injury

•Severe cases may lead to death Severe cases may lead to death and lawsuitsand lawsuits

Court Cases Court Cases Wagner vs. Fayetteville School District,1998Wagner vs. Fayetteville School District,1998

• ArkansasArkansas

• Carol Wagner complained for two years Carol Wagner complained for two years about constant harassment of gay son, about constant harassment of gay son, WilliWilli

• She filed suit following severe beating of She filed suit following severe beating of her sonher son

• Title IX-Outcome-school district held Title IX-Outcome-school district held sexual harassment workshops for teachers sexual harassment workshops for teachers and students and students

Court CaseCourt CaseHaugstad vs. Standwood-Camano Haugstad vs. Standwood-Camano

School District, 1999School District, 1999

• WashingtonWashington

• Taya Haugstad, (cerebral palsy) was Taya Haugstad, (cerebral palsy) was constantly harassed a male studentconstantly harassed a male student

• calling retarded, stupid and ramming calling retarded, stupid and ramming her wheelchair into the wallher wheelchair into the wall

• Outcome-District order to pay Outcome-District order to pay $310,000 $310,000

Court CaseCourt CaseAnchorage School District vs. Anchorage School District vs.

Tom 2000Tom 2000• an awkward student and his an awkward student and his

awkwardness invited the bullyingawkwardness invited the bullying• Under the zero-tolerance policy Tom Under the zero-tolerance policy Tom

received ISSP following an incident and received ISSP following an incident and attempted suicide the next dayattempted suicide the next day

• Parents filed suit for $33 million for Parents filed suit for $33 million for lifetime care due to his vegetative statelifetime care due to his vegetative state

• Outcome-district paid $1million, district Outcome-district paid $1million, district insurance company paid $3.5 millioninsurance company paid $3.5 million

Court CaseCourt CaseHigh vs. Pasco School District High vs. Pasco School District

20002000• Jared has a diagnosis of major Jared has a diagnosis of major

depressiondepression

• He attempts suicide due to being bullied He attempts suicide due to being bullied on many occasions, vegetative stateon many occasions, vegetative state

• Family sues the School District, school Family sues the School District, school did not do enough did not do enough

• Family request $33 million for lifetime Family request $33 million for lifetime care of their soncare of their son

Court CaseCourt Case “Too Close To Home” “Too Close To Home”

• Jacksonville, February 2004Jacksonville, February 2004

• Bus Beating captured on video tapeBus Beating captured on video tape

• 7 students charged misdemeanor 7 students charged misdemeanor batterybattery

• Victim’s mother in process of suing Victim’s mother in process of suing Duval County and First StudentDuval County and First Student

• Results are pendingResults are pending

Policies and ProceduresPolicies and Proceduresto Promote Safer Schoolsto Promote Safer Schools

• Title IX Amendment-severe, persistent or pervasive Title IX Amendment-severe, persistent or pervasive harassment that adversely affects a student’s education or harassment that adversely affects a student’s education or creates a hostile or abusive educational environmentcreates a hostile or abusive educational environment

• Zero-Tolerance on Violence-these policies are problematic Zero-Tolerance on Violence-these policies are problematic for schools due to no universal agreement on the definitionfor schools due to no universal agreement on the definition

• Anti-Bullying Act passed in different states, some states Anti-Bullying Act passed in different states, some states have opposed bill due to inhibiting the free speech and not have opposed bill due to inhibiting the free speech and not significant enough to make changessignificant enough to make changes

• State of Florida specifics: implementing Emergency Planning State of Florida specifics: implementing Emergency Planning Standards, Violence PreventionStandards, Violence Prevention

Advocates for Safer SchoolsAdvocates for Safer Schools

• As school counselors and other school As school counselors and other school officials we must promote policies and officials we must promote policies and proceduresprocedures

• We must protect our youth of today We must protect our youth of today from being victimized from being victimized

• Challenge yourself and your Challenge yourself and your collaborative team of faculty to be collaborative team of faculty to be proactiveproactive

• CHALLENGE, CHALLENGE, CHALLENGECHALLENGE, CHALLENGE, CHALLENGE

Did you Know…Did you Know…

• According to the National Education According to the National Education Association every hour of every day 2,000 Association every hour of every day 2,000 students are physically attacked on school students are physically attacked on school groundsgrounds

• One in five students regularly carries a One in five students regularly carries a weapon to school (one carries a gun) weapon to school (one carries a gun)

• 160,000 students skip class each day 160,000 students skip class each day because they fear physical attacksbecause they fear physical attacks

• 75% of children attending public schools 75% of children attending public schools report knowledge of occurrence bullying, report knowledge of occurrence bullying, physical attack, or robbery, compared to physical attack, or robbery, compared to 45% of private school students.45% of private school students.

ReferencesReferences

• Associated Press (2001). Schools Contend with Complications Associated Press (2001). Schools Contend with Complications of Zero Tolerance Policy. of Zero Tolerance Policy. MinnesotaMinnesota IssueIssue WatchWatch

• Davy, Amiray (2002). Bullying Bill Sparks Debate. Davy, Amiray (2002). Bullying Bill Sparks Debate. The OlmypiaThe Olmypia• Florida Department of Education, Emergency Planning Florida Department of Education, Emergency Planning

Standards for Florida’s SchoolsStandards for Florida’s Schools• Freiberg, Peter 1998. Deterring Harassment, Freiberg, Peter 1998. Deterring Harassment, Washington Washington

BladeBlade p.1 p.1• Hughes, Janice 1998. Title IX Decision, Hughes, Janice 1998. Title IX Decision, Washington Blade Washington Blade p.1p.1• Pesznecker, Kati 2002. Pesznecker, Kati 2002. AdvocacyAdvocacy• Pinkham, P & Garza C.L. (2004). Student’s Mom to Sue in Bus Pinkham, P & Garza C.L. (2004). Student’s Mom to Sue in Bus

Attack, Attack, The Florida Times-UnionThe Florida Times-Union• Skolnik, Sam (2000). Disabled Girl Abused by Bully Wins Skolnik, Sam (2000). Disabled Girl Abused by Bully Wins

$310,000 Court Judgement, $310,000 Court Judgement, Seattle PI News SourceSeattle PI News Source• Toomey, Lisa (2004, October). Toomey, Lisa (2004, October). Stop BullyingStop Bullying. Available: . Available:

http://www.agpcabinc.org/pages/4/5/index.htmlhttp://www.agpcabinc.org/pages/4/5/index.html