Bullying, Harassment, and Threats
Bullying
Texas Education Code (TEC) §37.0832 identifies bullying as a single significant act or a pattern of acts by one or more students directed at another student that exploits an imbalance of power and involves engaging in written or verbal expression, expression through electronic means, or physical conduct and that
- has the effect or will have the effect of physically harming a student, damaging a student's property, or placing a student in reasonable fear of harm to the student's person or of damage to the student's property;
- is sufficiently severe, persistent, or pervasive enough that the action or threat creates an intimidating, threatening, or abusive educational environment for a student;
- materially and substantially disrupts the educational process or the orderly operation of a classroom or school, or infringes on the rights of the victim at school.
Cyberbullying
· Cyberbullying is bullying that involves the use of any electronic communication device, including through the use of a cellular or other type of telephone, a computer, a camera, electronic mail, instant messaging, text messaging, a social media application, an Internet website, or any other Internet-based communication tool.
Lake Worth ISD is committed to providing a safe and nurturing learning environment for all individuals by educating parents, students, and community members on bullying, harassment and school threats. To report any concerns regarding bullying, harassment or school threats, please click on the link below. You may choose to report anonymously.
Click on the links below for more information about bullying.
LWISD Board Policy regarding Bullying:
Student Welfare: Freedom from Bullying
David’s Law
What is David's Law?
During Texas’ 85th Legislative Session, Senate Bill 179, formally known as David’s Law, was passed and signed into Texas State law. Named after 16-year-old David Molak, a high school student in San Antonio, who died by suicide after being harassed online, the bill aims to bring awareness and new policies to schools to combat cyberbullying. Senate Bill 179 (SB 179) classifies cyberbullying as a misdemeanor offense. By doing so, the courts may issue subpoenas and uncover people who are posting anonymously online. The law also requires intervention from public schools when any cyberbullying behavior is suspected. Parents of students who cyberbully others may also be held responsible if they could have intervened but didn’t.
How does the law affect a school’s response to bullying?
· School district are required to include cyberbullying policies into district policies and notify parents if their child has been the victim of bullying or is the alleged aggressor.
· The bill requires school districts to develop an anonymous system to report bullying and threats.
· School districts have a greater ability to investigate off campus bullying if they see it materialize in school, enabling school districts and law enforcement agencies to collaborate on investigations.
· School districts have a greater latitude to discipline or expel students for severe bullying behavior, including encouraging a child to commit or attempt suicide.
· The legislation enables law enforcement to unmask anonymous social media users who threaten others.
· Students can be charged with a misdemeanor for harassing or bullying anyone under the age of 18 through text messages, social media, websites, apps, or other means; and provides additional counseling and rehabilitation services to the aggressor and victim.
How does the law affect a parent’s response to bullying?
· A child can be charged with a crime for certain forms of cyberbullying or online harassment.
· If your child is bullied, you can obtain injunctive relief from the courts to stop and/or prevent cyberbullying of your child.
· Courts may hold parents accountable if they could have taken reasonable actions to get their child to cease engaging in cyberbully
https://locker.txssc.txstate.edu/3942be0c6bbe569ed1417377e6c1d2a9/Davids-Law-Overview.pdf
Threat Response
THREAT RESPONSE
How Lake Worth ISD Responds to Threats
The safety of all students, staff and community members is the first priority of Lake Worth ISD, as learning cannot take place unless students are safe in schools. Threats of any kind against Lake Worth ISD or any of its schools are not tolerated, and our district has procedures in place to respond to threats.
With the widespread presence of social media in everyday life, school districts across the nation have seen a rise in online rumors that can include threats against schools. Most of these rumors stem from miscommunication or incorrect information, though every potential threat reported to our district is investigated.
RESPONDING TO A THREAT
The LWISD Safety and Security Department works with local police departments to investigate every potential threat for the safety of everyone in schools. Security team members and police vet every serious rumor, with tremendous effort put into tracking down the source and keeping students and staff safe.
While each situation presents its own unique challenges, a rough timeline of a standard threat response includes the following aspects:
· Coordinating with local law enforcement: LWISD partners with multiple law enforcement agencies to staff school resource officers within its schools. These SROs work with their affiliated agency – and sometimes additional agencies – to garner additional resources for investigations.
· Interviewing students and individuals potentially involved: SROs and campus administrators will interview students who may have information about potential threats. Threats involving weapons will lead to a search of belongings if the individual who made the threat is on campus.
· Communicating with families: If a credible threat exists at a school, Lake Worth ISD will immediately communicate with families of that campus. This communication will include an email at minimum, while severe threats will lead to communication through email, social media, website postings, text messages and/or phone calls.
· Resolving threats: After security personnel and police have resolved a threat, any student inappropriately involved will receive a disciplinary response in accordance with the Student Code of Conduct.
WHAT HAPPENS IN A REAL CRISIS
If a threat leads to a real crisis – an actual event that disrupts class – every school has procedures in place to respond both during the event and as it reaches its conclusion. The following emergency responses are in place at every Northwest ISD school to respond as a crisis takes place:
· Secure: School proceeds as normal, but external doors are locked. This is commonly used when police are working a situation not including but near a school.
· Lockdown: Students and staff remain in locked rooms with the lights off and remain out of sight. This is commonly used for an internal crisis.
· Evacuation: Students and staff go to a designated evacuation or reunification location. This is commonly used when a crisis concludes or if students can be safely transported during a crisis.
· Shelter: Students and staff go to a designated shelter area. This is commonly used for hazardous weather such as a possible tornado.
· Hold: Students and staff remain in their rooms and continue their school day, though halls are cleared. This is commonly used if a personal medical situation occurs and a response is required.
Once a major crisis concludes, students will be reunited with families. In more serious situations, students will be transported to a designated reunification area that the district will communicate to families. For the safety of students, this area is not publicized beforehand.
WHAT SHOULD YOU DO
Students and families can assist LWISD by reporting any potential threat to the district or a campus administrator. Potential threats can be reported anonymously available on the Crime Stoppers website
Families should also encourage their children not to share threat rumors or knowingly false information. Instead, report any rumors through the aforementioned methods.
If an actual crisis occurs, families should not go to the crisis location. Additional cars and people can disrupt the ability of law enforcement to quickly respond in an emergency. In a crisis, wait for communication about a reunification area to support first responders as they work to protect students and staff.