No bullies allowed
Date:
4/11/2007
Beginning Sept. 1, 2007, each school district must have an anti-bullying policy in effect, and must train its employees in the requirements of the policy. Each district employee is required to report any instances of bullying when the employee has first-hand knowledge of it.
The statute defines bullying as "intimidation or harassment that causes a reasonable student to fear for his or her physical safety or property." Bullying may be made by physical actions or verbal or written communications, and it includes any threat against the student victim for the reporting of such conduct.
Policies are required to treat all students equally and shall not contain lists of protected groups, although the district may make age-appropriate differences in school policies. Each policy must state the consequences of bullying.
The statute is limited to bullying of a student. Adults are capable of being bullied and have other resources to address their concerns. If you have questions about your district’s policy on this issue, have a copy of the policy at hand and contact your MSTA field service representative at (800) 392-0532.
Once a week, MSTA’s legal team will post a new pointer to help you be proactive in preventing and addressing matters that sometimes lead to legal concerns. Of course, we will continue to provide our legal services to members who contact us through the regular channels.
The information in this site is for educational purposes only. The information contained here does not constitute legal advice, and the use of this site does not create an attorney-client relationship. If you have a confidential legal matter to discuss, please contact the Legal Services Department at (800) 392-0532. We would be happy to help you.
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