Bullying  consists of repeated* systematic abuse and harassment of a person or persons by another. Bullying is characterized by seven elements:

1. A desire to hurt or harm others motivates the perpetrator.
2. This desire to hurt or harm results in hurtful or harmful action(s) taken by the perpetrator.
3. A formal or informal power imbalance exists between the perpetrator and the victim.
4. The action(s) taken by the perpetrator are manifestations of the unjust use of power.
5. The perpetrator enjoys carrying out the action(s).
6. The victim has a sense of being oppressed.
7. The perpetrator typically repeats the hurtful or harmful action(s) against the victim.

* It is vital to understand that a single incident may meet this definition if it is serious, violates criminal law, or involves unreasonable harm to the victim.

Cyberbullying  is bullying

• That uses information and communication technologies to support deliberate, repeated, and hostile behavior by an individual or group, that is intended to harm another or others.
• The use of communication technologies for the intention of harming another person.
• Use of internet service and mobile technologies such as web pages and discussion groups as well as instant messaging or SMS text messaging with the intention of harming another person.

Cyberbullying includes computer-related bullying occurring outside the scope of a public K-12 educational institutions and bullying using technology or electronic devices not owned, leased, or used by a public school or school district.  Cyberbullying is actionable if it substantially interferes with or limits the victim’s ability to participate or benefit from the services, activities, or opportunities offered by a school or substantially disrupts the education process or orderly operation of a school.

Examples of what constitutes cyberbullying include communications that seek to intimidate, control, manipulate, put down, falsely discredit, or humiliate the recipient. The actions are deliberate, repeated, and hostile behavior intended to harm another. Cyberbullying has been defined by The National Crime Prevention Council: “When the Internet, cell phones or other devices are used to send or post text or images intended to hurt or embarrass another person."

Dating violence is a pattern of emotional, verbal, sexual, or physical abuse exhibited by one person in a current or past dating relationship to exert power and control over another.

Abuse may include but is not limited to:

1. insult
2. coercion
3. social sabotage
4. sexual harassment
5. stalking
6. threat
7. act of physical or sexual abuse
8. abuse harassement to include, stalking via electronic devices such as cellphones and computers; or
9. harassment through a third party. This type of behavior may be physical, mental, or both.
10. Cyberstalking*

Cyberstalking is defined in s. 784.048(1)(d), F.S., means to engage in a course of conduct to communicate, or to cause to be communicated, words, images, or language by or through the use of electronic mail or electronic communication, directed at a specific person, causing substantial emotional distress to that person and serving no legitimate purpose.

Harassment means any threatening, insulting, or dehumanizing gesture, use of data or computer software, or written, verbal, or physical conduct directed against a student or school employee that:

• Places a student or school employee in reasonable fear of harm to his or her person or damage to his or her property;
• Has the effect of substantially interfering with a student's educational performance, opportunities, or benefits; or
• Has the effect of substantially disrupting the orderly operation of a school.
• Abuse harassement to include, stalking via electronic devices such as cellphones and computers; or
• Harassment through a third party. This type of behavior may be physical, mental, or both.

Not all incidents of violence or harassment are easily catagorized. If you are unsure how to report an incident that you may have witnessed or been the victim of, use the form linked below. The incident will be investigated and a proper course of action determined.