It is the policy of Southwest Allen County Schools to maintain a positive learning environment that is free from bullying. Therefore, the priority is prevention and procedures that expedite reporting, intervention, investigation, and follow-up once an incident has occurred. Students and/or parents should immediately report bullying to any school staff member.

Indiana law defines bullying as overt, unwanted, repeated acts or gestures, including verbal or written communications or images transmitted in any manner (including digitally or electronically), physical acts committed, aggression, or any other behaviors that are committed by a student or group of students against another student with the intent to harass, ridicule, humiliate, intimidate, or harm the targeted student and create for that student an objectively hostile school environment that:

• Places the targeted student in reasonable fear of harm to the targeted student's person or property;
• Has a substantial detrimental effect on the targeted student's physical or mental health;
• Has the effect of substantially interfering with the targeted student's academic performance; or
• Has the effect of substantially interfering with the targeted student's ability to participate in or benefit from the services, activities and privileges provided by the school.

A record made of an investigation, a disciplinary action, or a follow-up action performed under this Policy is not a public record under Indiana law.

It shall be a violation of this Policy for any student to bully another student, regardless of the physical location in which the bullying occurred, whenever:

• The individual committing the bullying behavior and any of the intended targets of the bullying behavior are students attending a school within the school corporation; and
• Disciplinary action is reasonably necessary to avoid substantial interference with school discipline or prevent an unreasonable threat to the rights of others to a safe and peaceful learning environment.

It shall be a violation of this Policy for any student to bully another student through the use of data or computer software that is accessed through a computer, computer system, or computer network, if the two above criteria are satisfied.

Student/Parent Reporting of Bullying Incidents

Students and/or parents may report incidents of bullying to an administrator, school counselor, School Resource Officer, teacher, school bus driver or any school staff member. When reporting, students and/or parents will be asked to complete a written report of bullying.

Students and/or parents may anonymously report bullying incident by calling 260-431-2100 or by completing a bullying report form and returning it to the school.

• Bullying Report Form