Bullying / Harassment / Hazing / Faith's Law
The school’s normal disciplinary procedures will be followed in determining the appropriate consequencs for bullying, hazing, or civil rights harassment. In the event the Administration recommends suspension, arrest, or expulsion as a result of the conduct, due process will be afforded to the student in accordance with the district’s suspension / expulsion procedure.
Local authorities may be contacted to determine if a crime was committed. Charges will be determined by the local authorities and any school-related discipline considered will not be contingent on any such charges pursued by the local authority. School discipline will occur if a school policy has been violated, whether or not local authorities pursue charges.
Bullying Definition
Bullying occurs whenever a student intentionally, repeatedly, and over time inflicts or threatens to inflict physical or emotional injury or discomfort on another person’s body, feelings, or possessions. Bullying is an unwanted behavior including, but not limited to, name-calling, nicknames, making fun of, making noises at, talking about someone behind their back, saying mean things, threats, inviting to fight, staring, following a person around, physical contact, sexual gestures / remarks, phone calls, cyber/computer messages, repeatedly calling the student names (including their own name), etc.
Please note that bullying reports are not read immediately after submission but are generally read within 24-hours on regular school days and within 48-hours on the weekend when school is in session. If you or someone you know is in crisis or in danger, please do not leave a bullying report. Instead, please call the 24-hour, 7 days a week HOPELINE at (800) 784-2433 or 911. This will ensure that someone will be able to respond immediately to the emergency situation.
| The Anonymous Bullying Reporting System is located on the school’s web page under both the Student and Parent tabs. You can report bullying you witness or bullying you experience. |
Students are encouraged to immediately report bullying. A report may be made orally, online at rbhs208.net, or in writing to the District Complaint Manager or any staff member with whom the student is comfortable speaking.
Anyone, including staff members and parents/guardians, who has information about actual or threatened bullying is encouraged to report it to the District Complaint Manager or any staff member. (7:180 Prevention of and Response to Bullying, Intimidation, and Harassment)Anyone with information about incidents of teen dating violence should report them to any of the following individuals: (7:185 Teen Dating Violence Prohibited)
Riverside Brookfield High School District 208 will provide an educational environment for students which is free of harassment based on disability, race, or sex. In accordance with the U.S. Office of Civil Rights, harassment is strictly prohibited and infractions will result in disciplinary consequences.
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Any school staff member. School staff shall respond to incidents of teen dating violence by following the District’s established procedures for the prevention, identification, investigation, and response to bullying and school violence.
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The Nondiscrimination Coordinator, Building Principal, Dean of Students, or a Complaint Manager identified in policy 7:20, Harassment of Students Prohibited.
Riverside Brookfield High School District 208 will provide an educational environment for students which is free of harassment based on disability, race, or sex. In accordance with the U.S. Office of Civil Rights, harassment is strictly prohibited and infractions will result in disciplinary consequences.
Harassment or Bullying on the basis of Disability:
is intimidation or abusive behavior towards a student based on their disability. Harassing conduct may take many forms, such as, but not limited to, verbal acts and name-calling, as well as non-verbal behavior, such as graphic and written statements, or conduct that is physically threatening, harmful or humiliating.
Harassment or Bullying on the basis of Race:
is intimidation or abusive behavior toward a student based on race, color or national origin. Harassing conduct may take on many forms, such as, but not limited to verbal acts and name-calling, as well as non-verbal behavior, such as graphic and written statements, or conduct that is physically threatening, harmful or humiliating.
Harassment or Bullying on the basis of Sex:
is the unwelcomed conduct of a sexual nature, such as, but not limited to, unwelcomed sexual advances, requests for sexual favors, and other unwelcomed verbal and nonverbal, or physical conduct of a sexual nature. Harassment occurs when:
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Submission to such conduct is made either explicitly or implicitly a term or condition of a person’s employment or educational development;
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Submission to or rejection of such conduct is used as the basis for employment or education decisions affecting such individual; or
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Such conduct has a purpose or effect of unreasonably interfering with an individual’s work or educational performance, or creating an intimidating, hostile or offensive working or educational environment.
| Should a student feel that any of these situations could not be resolved on a personal level, she/he is directed to immediately seek the help of an adult whom they trust, such as a teacher, counselor, social worker, parent or guardian, police liaison, Dean of Students, or one of the Building Administrators. Students are encouraged to forward information about any inappropriate behaviors to a trusted adult. A student may choose to report to a person of the student’s same sex. Conplaints will be kept confidential to the extent possible given the need to investigate. Students who make good faith complaints will not be disciplined. |
Filing a Formal Harassment Complaint
Any individual wishing to submit a complaint (i.e., the “complainant”) must submit a written statement to the Complaint Managers (Assistant Principals). The written statement should state the specific facts and/or perceived wrongful act (e.g., location, names, dates, times) to be investigated. All such written statements should be submitted within thirty (30) days after the incident or act which gives rise to the complaint, unless the time for submission is extended by the Complaint Manager because the complainant has shown good cause for such an extension. (2:260 Uniform Grievence Procedure and 7:20 Harassment of Students Prohibited)
The filing of a complaint under the grievance procedures described herein shall not limit, extend, replace or delay the right of any person to file a similar complaint or charge with any appropriate local, state, or federal agency or court.
The filing of a complaint under the grievance procedures described herein shall not limit, extend, replace or delay the right of any person to file a similar complaint or charge with any appropriate local, state, or federal agency or court.
Hazing
Hazing is defined as any physical, mental, emotional, or psychological act which subjects a student who is joining or affiliating with a student organization to any situation or expectation which may potentially abuse, mistreat, degrade, humiliate, harass, harm, intimidate, denigrate either an individual or another group or compromise a student’s inherent dignity as a person. Hazing includes a situation in which a student subjects another student to rites of initiation. The fact that a student participates voluntarily in a hazing incident does not alter the high school’s prohibition on such conduct. Hazing will not be tolerated and will be subject to disciplinary action which may include suspension/expulsion and police involvement, if warranted. Students who are associated with teams/activities who consider engaging in acts against other students on a team or in an activity should understand that the school considers such behavior as hazing.
Faith’s Law
Faith’s Law aims to protect students against sexual abuse, expands the definition of grooming beyond electronic communication, and requires the Illinois State Board of Education (ISBE) to develop a resource guide that provides guidance about sexual abuse response and prevention resources. The ISBE resource guide is expected to be developed by July 1, 2023. The law also makes it clear that mandated reporters must report suspected grooming to DCFS under the Abused and Neglected Child Reporting Act. Parents and students should refer to board policies 4:165 and 5:120 for additional information.