BULLYING POLICY

The Science School will not tolerate bullying or any similar behaviour. School should be a safe and protective place where students are encouraged to learn and meet their academic goals. As such, bullying interferes with both a student’s ability to learn and a school’s ability to teach because of its disruptive nature. Positive behaviour including respecting others, setting an example, as well as discouraging bullying is expected of all administrators, staff, students, parents, and volunteers.

Bullying can be physical, verbal, emotional, and cyber (which includes email, cell phone, Facebook, snap chat, whatsapp and all social media etc.). Any gesture that is expressed through written language, verbally, and/or physically that degrades a person is considered bullying. This includes, but is not limited to a person’s race, religion, colour, gender, disability, national origin, or any other unique characteristic. This behaviour will be considered bullying whether it takes place on or off school property, at any school function, or in a school vehicle.
Any student who chooses to participate in bullying will be met with a swift and severe consequence. However, each case will be examined on a case-by-case basis and could vary based on several factors including age, nature of the problem, past history, etc. The discipline plan will include strategies to correct the behaviour, to prevent it from happening again, and to protect the victim from further harm.

DEALING WITH A BULLY

Verbal/Emotional Bullying – There are three steps that any student who is being verbally bullied should take. These are in the following order:
STOP – Take a deep breath. Look the bully directly in the eye.
TALK – Say the bullies name……followed by “I am not a……… ( insert whatever name they called you).
Do this loudly where everyone in the room will hear you.
WALK – Turn around and walk away from the situation and find the closest adult to report the incident to.

Physical Bullying – If you feel like you are about to be physically bullied by another student, immediately report it to an adult. Walk away from the situation as quickly as possible. Avoid being confrontational. If possible, find a friend nearby because bullies often will not take on more than one student at a time.

Cyber Bullying – Keep a copy of any text, email, etc in which you feel like you are being bullied. Do not delete it. Show it to an adult as soon as possible.

OBSERVATION OF BULLYING

Any student who observes another student being bullied should immediately take action to stop the act. Those actions may include:
1. Telling the bully to leave the student alone.
2. Take the bullying victim by the hand and lead them away.
3. Report it immediately to an adult.
Any student who observes a bullying incident and fails to intervene in at least one of the three manners listed above is subject to disciplinary action.