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Anti-Bullying Policies:Anti-Bullying Policies: Promoting a Positive School ClimatePromoting a Positive School Climate

ANNA LISSA M. DINOPOLRoyal Child Academy of Mactan, Inc.

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COVERAGE OF ANTI-BULLYING POLICY

• Public and Private

• Kindergarten• Elementary• Secondary Schools• Learning Centers

- as facilities for learning programs for out-of-school youth and adults

BULLYING DEFINED

• A severe or repeated use of physical act or gesture, written or electronic, expression or combination thereof resulting to”– Fear, physical, emotional harm, damage to

property, creation of hostile environment and infringement of rights of another student.

– Disruption of education process or orderly operation of the school.

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FORMS OF BULLYING

1. Physical Bullying

This is when a person (or group of people) uses physical action to bully, such as hitting, poking, tripping or pushing.

Repeatedly and intentionally damaging someone’s belongings is also physical bullying.

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FORMS OF BULLYING

2. Social (covert) Bullying

Indirect actions, such as lying about someone, spreading rumors, playing a nasty joke that make the person feel humiliated or powerless mimicking or deliberately excluding someone.

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FORMS OF BULLYING

3. Psychological Bullying

For example, threatening, manipulating or stalking someone.

4. Cyber-BullyingThis is a method of Bullying using Technology such as email, mobile phone, chat rooms and social networking sites to bully verbally, socially or psychologically.

( In the Philippines, two (2) recorded physical bullying that lead to death and a case where a parent allegedly pointed a gun to a bullying victim)

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Psychological/Verbal Violence Experienced in School (Elem. & H.S.) Plan Philippines 2009

1) Ridiculed, Teased 64%

2) Cursed, had bad words spoken, shouted at 56%

3) Deliberately ignored or not spoken to 40%

4) Humiliated, degraded 40%

5) Threatened with physical violence 29%

6) Threatened to hurt people close to the child 27%

Cyber-Bullying Includes:

• Texting

• Email

• Instant messaging

• Chatting

• Social media

• Online games

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CYBER-BULLYING- Is a form of bullying. It involves four elements to be

classified as such• Technology – this involves the use of cell phone and related

electronic devices, tablets, computers, social web and the use of videos and images.

• Deliberate – the act in not spontaneous, as in the outraged involving the reactions against the person caught on cameras slapping an MMDA enforcer.

• Repeated – if online behavior becomes a repeated act and directed to one person or group, then it becomes a potential case of cyber-bullying.

• Hostile – the last element to classify an act as cyber-bullying is the hostile behavior of the perpetrator to the subject. The hostile acts are intended to strip the victim of self-dignity and worth.

(Bullying, in international circle, is commonly referred to minor (victims and aggressor)

If an adult is involve, the term being used is either cyber harassment or cyber stalking.

What the Law requires from the school:

1. Come up with policies defining and prohibiting:– Bullying inside school premises

– Bullying outside school premises (cyber-bullying) resulting to the definition above

– Retaliation against person who reports bullying incidents or bullies.

2. Come up with administrative procedures and disciplinary actions:

3. Rehabilitation Program for the Bullies

4. Strategies and Procedures for– Recording and Reporting System

– Reporting and Investigation

– Filter False reports and disciplinary action for students making false reports

– Safety and security of students

– Support services such as counseling for victims

– Education for parents and students on bullying dynamics10

What the Law requires from the school:

5. Mechanism– Persons accountable for the implementation ( Principal or anyone with

comparable role)

– Who can report incidents of bullying: school head, parent, student, volunteers)

– Who should handle bullying cases: Principal and/or person designated by the Principal

– Expected Actions• Investigate promptly

• Take appropriate disciplinary actions

• Report to law enforcement agency if provisions of revised penal code was satisfied

• Notify parents or guardians of perpetrators

• Notify parents or guardians of victims and inform of the actions that has been taken and preventive measures

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What the Law requires from the school:6. Reporting Requirements

– Six (6) months after the effectivity of this law, school will inform their division superintendent, in writing, of the policies, procedures and strategies they have formulated.

– This shall also be a requirement before operation of new school commence.

– Annual reporting of schools to division superintendent on relevant statistics and data. These in turn will be summarized and reported to DepEd Secretary.

– The DepEd Secretary shall summarize these and report the same on basic education of both Houses of Congress.

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How to handle Cyberbullying

• School’s Role– Clear policy on cyber-bullying– Parents-Teacher School Council of Bullying– Education program for parents-teachers-students on Social Web– Counseling for the victim

• Parent’s Role– Be knowledgeable. Prevention is better.– Be involve on the on-line activities of your child.

• Regulate the use of computer and other technology• Impress on your kids that technology is meant to add value to others not harm them

– Ensure that the household helper are also equipped of the basics of cyber wellness

– Listen ( do not react or over-react)– Preserve the evidence ( screen shot, do not delete email, chat, wall posting)– Try to identify the bully (ip address, profile)– Report the bully to the service provider– Unfriend or block bully– Communicate with the school and parent organization – Seek police or legal when needed 13

How to handle Cyberbullying• Pupil’s Role

– Share your account with your parent– Do not share too much information about you– Do not give your real time location– Do not post pictures of you and your family– Do not go to sites that encourages anonimity– Connect only with people you know– Do not talk to strangers in any way– Do not engage a bully– Report a bully to parents or trusted adult– Together with your parents, unfriend or block the bully

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School Prevention/Intervention Programs

• Schools to have prevention program that is comprehensive, multi-faceted and shall involve all education stakeholders and personnel. This may contain:

– Positive school climate/environment– Periodic assessment and monitoring of bullying behaviors– Periodic review of manual of conduct for both students and personnel, in relation

to bullying– Activities on the issue for students, personnel and service providers– Personnel Development– Coordination with LGUs and other stakeholders– Classroom initiatives/activities– Activities involving parents

• Schools to have intervention programs to ensure continuity of policies. These may include

– Activities– Corrective and preventive, rather than punitive measures

• Intake Sheet to be accomplished by schools whenever there is an incident of bullying

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The Child Protection Committee (CPC)

• School Head/Administrator - Chairperson• Guidance Counselor/Teacher - Vice

Chairperson• Representative of Teachers - Member

(Designated by the Faculty)

• Representative of Parents - Member(Designated by the PTA)

• Representative of Students - Member(Designated by the Student Council)

• Representative from Community - Member(Designated by the Punong Barangay Council for the Protection of Children)

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Due Process in Handling Bullying Reports

• Students and his parents to be informed IN WRITING of the complaint

• Student to be given the opportunity to answer with assistance of parents/guardians

• Decision of the school head shall be IN WRITING, stating the basis thereof

• School head’s decision may be appealed to the Division Office of DepEd

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Other Salient Points…• Anti-Bullying policy may be part of the school’s child

protection policy• School should submit reports prescribed in IRR• Students should have a duty to intervene to protect the

victim, unless the same jeopardizes their safety/security• Students, like teachers, have a duty to report incidents of

bullying• The Child Protection Committee shall also be the Anti-

Bullying Committee• Jurisdiction for complaints of bullying and other acts

under the IRR is EXCLUSIVE:

- Department of Education or private school only and not subject to barangay settlement.

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Other Salient Points…• Anti-Bullying Procedures must include:

– Immediate response, call the attention of any school personnel– Stop the bullying immediately– Remove students from harm and provide medical attention if

needed– Bring the bully to the Guidance Office or designated personnel

• Anonymous reporting to be entertained• Person reporting to be afforded protection• Fact-Finding and Documentation:

– Designated School Official to:• Interview parties involved separately• Assess threat level, devise intervention strategies• Inform parents of both parties of the steps to be taken• Make recommendations to Child Protection Committee

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Other Salient Points…• The Child Protection Committee to determine the intervention

programs for parties involved• Schools may refer parties to trained professional outside the school• Disciplinary measures must be according to nature, gravity of the

bullying and attendant circumstances• Due process must be observed• Community service may be a form of punishment if the same is in

the rules and regulations of the school• The Child Protection Committee supervises the intervention

program• False accusation of bullying also to be sanctioned• Bullying incidents are confidential and breach thereof by school

personnel is likewise sanctioned.• All schools covered to submit a copy of their anti-bullying policy to

the Division Office ( IRR was signed December 13, 2013)

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Intervention Strategies: Protecting Victims

• Supervise and discipline offending students fairly and consistently.

• Provide adult supervision during recess, lunch time, bathroom breaks and in the hallways during times of transition.

• Maintain contact with parents and guardians of all involved parties.

• Provide counseling for the victim if needed.

• Instruct school personnel to monitor parties involved in previous bullying incidents and instruct them to intervene if problem recurs.

• Check with victim daily to ensure that there is no further bullying or retaliation.

SMART Approach to Addressing BullyingSMART Approach to Addressing Bullying

Stay Safe

Make Connections

Always Stand Up For Yourself

Realize Your Options

Talk It Out

SMART Approach to Addressing Bullying

Stay Safe

• Think ahead. Do what you need to do to stay out of harm’s way.

• Avoid places and situations that place you at risk.

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Make Connections

• Develop friendships with people whom you view as trustworthy and who share your interests.

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Always Stand Up For Yourself

• Walk with your head up and make eye contact with others.

• Keep your cool.

• Don’t allow the words or actions of others to hurt you.

• Tell the harasser to stop.

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Realize Your Options

• You didn’t cause this problem.• Suffering in silence only gives the person

harassing you more opportunity to continue or increase harmful behaviours.

• Reacting by getting physical, getting friends to return the harassment, or ignoring the harassment only makes it worse.

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Talk It Out

• Talk to trusted friends or adults about how you want the negative situation to be resolved.

• Get help if and when needed. • When it’s over, let it go. Dwelling on

negative incidents takes away from your enjoyment of life.

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