Bullying Information

Columbus City Schools strives to create a safe and welcoming environment for all students and takes reports of bullying very seriously.

If you would like to report bullying or harrassment please submit this form.

Bullying, harassment, and/or intimidation toward a student, whether by other students, staff, or third parties is strictly prohibited and will not be tolerated. All complaints about bullying that may violate this policy shall be promptly investigated. This prohibition includes aggressive behavior; physical, verbal, and psychological abuse; and violence within a dating relationship.

For the purposes of this policy, bullying, harassment and/or intimidation (collectively, “bullying”) means:

Any intentional written, verbal, electronic, or physical act that a student or group of students exhibits toward another particular student more than once and the behavior both causes mental or physical harm to the other student and is sufficiently severe, persistent, or pervasive that it creates an intimidating, threatening, or abusive educational environment for the other student.

This includes content that is based on a student’s actual or perceived race, sex, sexual orientation, religion, color, national origin, age, gender identity or expression, ancestry, familial status, military status, disability, genetic information, or association with a person or group with one or more of the above mentioned characteristics whether actual or perceived; or Violence within a dating relationship; or Aggressive behavior, which is defined as inappropriate conduct that is repeated enough, or serious enough, to negatively impact a student's educational, physical, or emotional well being. It would include, but not be limited to, such behaviors as stalking, bullying, cyberbullying, intimidating, menacing, coercion, name calling, taunting, making threats, and hazing; or Cyberbullying through electronically transmitted acts that occur on school property.

Complaints

Any student or student's parent/guardian who believes s/he has been or is the victim of bullying should immediately report the situation to the Building Administrator or the Superintendent. The student may also report concerns to teachers and other school staff who will be responsible for notifying the appropriate Administrator. Complaints against the Building Principal should be filed with the Superintendent. Complaints against the Superintendent should be filed with the Board President.

Bullying reports shall be reasonably specific, including person(s) involved, number of times and places of the alleged conduct, the target of suspected bullying, and the names of any potential student or staff witnesses. Such reports may be filed with any school staff member or administrator, and reports shall be promptly forwarded to the Building Administrator for review, investigation, and action.

Students, parents/guardians, and school personnel may also make informal or anonymous complaints of bullying by verbal report to a teacher, school administrator, or other school personnel. Such complaints shall include the specific information stated above. A school staff member who receives an informal or anonymous complaint shall promptly document the complaint in writing, including the information provided. This written report shall be promptly forwarded by the school staff member to the Building Administrator for review, investigation, and appropriate action. Individuals who make informal complaints as provided above may request that their name be maintained in confidence by the school staff member and administrator who receive the complaint.

The Building Administrator shall prepare a written report of the investigation upon completion. Such report shall include findings of fact, a determination of whether acts of bullying were verified, and, when prohibited acts are verified, a recommendation for intervention, including disciplinary action shall be included in the report. Where appropriate, written witness statements shall be attached to the report.

The complainant shall be notified of the findings of the investigation, and as appropriate, that remedial action has been taken. If after investigation, acts of bullying against a specific student are verified, the Building Administrator shall notify the parent/guardian of the victim and perpetrator of such finding. If disciplinary consequences are imposed against the perpetrator, a description of such discipline shall be included in the notification sent to the perpetrator’s parent/guardian.

Bullying Incident Report