Harassment, Intimidation and Bullying (HIB)

 "Harassment, intimidation or bullying" means any gesture, any written, verbal or physical act, or any electronic communication, whether it be a single incident or a series of incidents, that is reasonably perceived as being motivated either by any actual or perceived characteristic, such as race, color, religion, ancestry, national origin, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity and expression, or a mental, physical or sensory disability, or by any other distinguishing characteristic, that takes place on school property, at any school-sponsored function, on a school bus, or off school grounds, as provided for in section 16 of P.L. 2010, chapter 122, that substantially disrupts or interferes with the orderly operation of the school or the rights of other students that:

• A reasonable person should know, under the circumstances, what will have the effect of physically or emotionally harming a student or damaging the student's property, or placing a student in reasonable fear of physical or emotional harm to his person or damage to his property
• Has the effect of insulting or demeaning any student or group of students
• Creates a hostile educational environment for the student by interfering with a student's education or by severely or pervasively causing physical or emotional harm to the student.

The Board of Education prohibits acts of harassment, intimidation, or bullying of a pupil. A safe and civil environment in school is necessary for pupils to learn and achieve high academic standards. Harassment, intimidation, or bullying, like other disruptive or violent behaviors, is conduct that disrupts both a pupil’s ability to learn and a school’s ability to educate its pupils in a safe and disciplined environment.

The Board expects pupils to conduct themselves in keeping with their levels of development, maturity and demonstrated capabilities with proper regard for the rights and welfare of other pupils and school staff, the educational purpose underlying all school activities and the care of school facilities and equipment consistent with the Code of Pupil Conduct.

NJ DOE’s State School Climate Coordinator 

hib@doe.nj.gov

P.L. 2010, c.122 requires that school districts annually self-assess their efforts to implement the provisions of the Anti-Bullying Bill of Rights Act.  This self-assessment is an averaged number from all schools within the district and appears both on the school report card and on the districts’ website. The maximum total score for a district/school is 78 points.  It is important to note that this score is not to be interpreted as a letter grade.  For additional information and/or questions regarding this process, please contact the District’s HIB Coordinator, Karen D'Orazio at ext. 2508. 

Guidance for Parents on the Anti-Bullying Bill of Rights Act

The New Jersey Department of Education (NJDOE) has developed this guide to help parents understand their rights and know the duties of the school districts and schools. 

Guidance for Parents on the Anti-Bullying Bill of Rights Act (P.L.2010, c.122), September 2012.