Student/Parent Handbook - Ysleta Independent School District

BULLYINGBullying occurs when a student or group of students engages in written or verbal expression, expression throughelectronic methods, or physical conduct against another student on school property, at a school-sponsored or -relatedactivity, or in a district operated vehicle, and the behavior: Results in harm to the student or the student’s property,Places a student in reasonable fear of physical harm or of damage to the student’s property, orIs so severe, persistent, and pervasive that it creates an intimidating, threatening, or abusive educationalenvironment.This conduct is considered bullying if it exploits an imbalance of power between the student perpetrator(s) and thestudent victim and if it interferes with a student’s education or substantially disrupts the operation of the school.Bullying is prohibited by the district and could include hazing, threats, taunting, teasing, confinement, assault, demandsfor money, destruction of property, theft of valued possessions, name-calling, rumor-spreading, or ostracism. In somecases, bullying can occur through electronic methods, called “cyberbullying.” A copy of the district’s policy is available inthe principal’s office, superintendent’s office, and on the district’s Web site. Policy FFI.If a student believes that he or she has experienced bullying or has witnessed bullying of another student, it is importantfor the student or parent to notify a teacher, counselor, principal, or another district employee as soon as possible toobtain assistance and intervention. Reports may be made orally or in writing.The principal or designee will conduct an appropriate investigation based on the allegations in the report and may takeaction to prevent bullying during the investigation. The principal or designee will determine whether the allegations in thereport, if proven, would constitute prohibited harassment, discrimination, or dating violence under Policy FFH, and if so,will proceed under Policy FFH. If the allegations could constitute both prohibited conduct under Policy FFH and bullying,a determination will be made on each type of conduct.If the results of an investigation indicate that bullying has occurred, the administration will take appropriate disciplinaryaction. Disciplinary or other action may be taken even if the conduct did not rise to the level of bullying. The district willalso contact the parents of the victim and of the student who was found to have engaged in the bullying. Availablecounseling options will be provided to these individuals, as well as to any students who have been identified as witnessesto the bullying.Any retaliation against a student who reports an incident of bullying is prohibited.The principal may, in response to an identified case of bullying, decide to transfer a student found to haveengaged in bullying to another classroom at the campus. In consultation with the student’s parent, the studentmay also be transferred to another campus in the district. The parent of a student who has been determined by thedistrict to be a victim of bullying may request that his or her child be transferred to another classroom or campus withinthe district.A student or parent who is dissatisfied with the outcome of an investigation may appeal through policy FNG(LOCAL).DISCIPLINE OF STUDENTS WITH DISABILITIESIn some cases, the district must follow different procedures in the application of discipline to students with disabilities dueto the effect of various provisions of federal laws and regulations addressing this area.TECHNOLOGY RESOURCESThe district provides students with access to local area networks and a wide area network that includes access to theInternet. The district is providing access to the network for educational purposes only. Student use of the YISD wide areanetwork, including Internet access, must conform to the district’s Acceptable Use Policy (AUP). Students, staff andparents using the Network for Internet access will be required to sign a Student Acceptable Use Agreement for InternetAccess.The acceptable use of the YISD wide area network is explained on the Student Acceptable Use Agreement for InternetAccess notice and in Policy CQ and regulation CQ-R. It is important that both parent and student read the StudentAcceptable Use Agreement for Internet Access and discuss appropriate use of electronic resources together.Inappropriate system use will result in the loss of the privilege to use this educational tool. See Important Noticessection.63