State officials and local school districts are getting tough with bullies.
The Office of the Superintendent of Public Instruction and Washington State School Directors’ Association last month released a revised model policy and procedure on bullying, harassment and intimidation.
The new policy offers clear definitions of unacceptable behavior and includes new sections on prevention, intervention, false allegations and district compliance officers.
The revised procedure gives districts a detailed guide on how to implement the enhanced prevention, intervention and discipline strategies. The procedure also outlines a step-by-step plan on how to respond to complaints.
Action by the state Legislature in 2010 requires each district in the state to adopt a revised policy and procedure that, at minimum, incorporates the provisions recommended by the state. The legislation also requires that the district identify and provide contact information for a go-to person at the district level if parents or students feel the issue is not being handled by school administrators.
Districts have until Aug. 1 to adopt the new policies and until Aug. 15 to provide OSPI with summaries of their policies, procedures and training materials. OSPI will monitor the districts’ compliance.
All of the Clark County districts use the state’s model policy and procedure, some with slight revisions. Area school district officials are now working to adopt the new documents.
The Washougal School Board adopted the state’s new documents at its meeting Feb. 8. The board appointed Doug Bright, director of the human resources and facilities and operations departments for the district, as the compliance officer.
Washougal Assistant Superintendent Rebecca Miner said district officials have already held training sessions with school principals. This spring, district officials will hold staff meetings across the district to make sure all employees are informed of the changes, Miner said.
The district in the past had a bullying and harassment task force that suggested training and prevention techniques. Miner said the district will continue those training efforts.
“I think (the new policy) solidifies some things we were already doing,” she said.
Scott Deutsch, risk manager for Evergreen Public Schools, said the district’s attorney is reviewing the model policy. Once the review is complete, the documents will go before the school board for approval.
“Our buildings have already been taking steps to try and prevent bullying,” Deutsch said. “It’s an extension of some of the work we’ve already been doing.”
The state first required districts to have bullying policies in place in 2003. In 2008, districts were required to include language on cyber-bullying.
The 2010 legislation says that “despite widespread adoption of anti-harassment policies by school districts, harassment of students continues and has not declined since the law was enacted.”
According to the state’s 2008 Healthy Teen Survey, an anonymous survey conducted every two years, students across the state report being bullied. About 30 percent of sixth- and eighth-graders said they had been bullied in the prior 30 days; 23 percent of 10th-graders and 16 percent of 12th-graders had the same response.
The numbers in Clark County, and the percentage of students who said they were bullied while at school, mirrored the state statistics.
State legislators called on OSPI to create stricter policies and procedures to combat the problem. State officials drafting the policy aimed to prevent bullying and ensure school districts responded appropriately to persistent bullying and harassment.
Marissa Harshman: 360-735-4546 or marissa.harshman@columbian.com.
