Bullying & Cyberbullying
There are different types of bullying, below are some of the ways that bullying could happen:
Physical bullying
Physical bullying includes hitting, kicking, tripping, pinching and pushing or damaging property. Physical bullying causes both short-term and long-term damage.
Verbal bullying
Verbal bullying includes name calling, insults, teasing, intimidation, homophobic or racist remarks, or verbal abuse. While verbal bullying can start off harmless, it can escalate to levels which start affecting the individual target. Keep reading in this section for techniques to deal with verbal bullying.
Social bullying
Social bullying, sometimes referred to as covert bullying, is often harder to recognize and can be carried out behind the bullied person's back. It is designed to harm someone's social reputation and/or cause humiliation. Social bullying includes:
- lying and spreading rumors
- negative facial or physical gestures, menacing or contemptuous looks
- playing nasty jokes to embarrass and humiliate
- mimicking unkindly
- encouraging others to socially exclude someone
- damaging someone's social reputation or social acceptance.
Cyberbullying
Cyberbullying can be overt or covert bullying behaviors using digital technologies, including hardware such as computers and smartphones, and software such as social media, instant messaging, texts, websites and other online platforms.
Cyberbullying can happen at any time. It can be in public or in private and sometimes only known to the target and the person bullying. Cyberbullying can include:
- Abusive or hurtful texts emails or posts, images or videos
- Deliberately excluding others online
- Nasty gossip or rumors
- Imitating others online or using their log-in
GROESBECK ISD
Procedures for Reporting Allegations of Bullying
The district prohibits bullying on school property, at school-sponsored or school-related activities, or in any vehicle operated by the district. The District also prohibits cyberbullying even if it occurs off of school property and outside of the school day (see David’s Law).
Bullying may be verbal or written expression or expression through electronic means, or physical conduct. Bullying is not tolerated by the district and any student or parent of a student who believes that the student or another student has experienced bullying or that a student has engaged in bullying is encouraged to immediately report the incident. Retaliation against anyone involved in the complaint process is a violation of district policy and is prohibited.
Students or parents may report an alleged incident of bullying, orally or in writing, to a teacher, counselor, principal or another district employee. Students or parents may contact the district to obtain an incident report form that may be used to submit the complaint.
Please note that after submission of the complaint to district personnel, the district may assign the complaint to a campus administrator to follow up on the submitted complaint and any other important matters pertaining to the complaint. We encourage you to communicate with your designated campus administrator during this time.
More information about the district’s bullying policy can be found at http://pol.tasb.org/Policy/Code/821?filter=FFI or the campus administration office.
To report a bullying incident to Groesbeck ISD personnel, click on the REPORT a BULLYING INCIDENT link below. You may submit this report anonymously; however, if you provide contact information, it will greatly assist in the investigation of the reported incident.
