Bullying Prevention

Bullying is an aggressive behavior that involves a real or perceived imbalance of power between individuals with the intent to cause emotional or physical harm. Bullying can be physical, verbal, or social/relational and may involve a single severe act or repetition or potential repetition of a deliberate act.  Bullying includes, but is not limited to, any act described in Education Code 48900(r).

Cyberbullying includes the electronic creation or transmission of harassing communications, direct threats, or other harmful texts, sounds, or images.  Cyberbullying also includes breaking into another person's electronic account or assuming that person's online identity in order to damage that person's reputation.

Examples of the types of conduct that may constitute bullying and are prohibited by the district include, but are not limited to Physical, Verbal, Social/Relational, or Cyberbullying.

SCUSD's Bullying Policy and Administrative Regulation provide information on the definition and indicators of bullying, as well as complaint procedures and prevention measures.  Together, these policies provide guidance for students, district employees and community members to prevent and intervene in all instances of bullying. 

Bullying Board Policy (BP 5131.2)

Bullying Administrative Regulation (AR 5131.2)

When students do experience or witness bullying, schools may offer a variety of supports, such as counseling, wellness check-ins, social skills groups, and other programs or services.  This is to ensure that students feel safe at school and understand what to do whenever confronted with bullying behaviors.  Interventions may be offered to the target, aggressor, or bystander (the person who is witness to the incident).

Below are some practical tools to support families in preventing and intervening when bullying behavior is suspected:

Bullying Prevention 101: A quick guide for adults

Common Views and Myths about Bullying

Please contact your site for specific school supports and programs available.

SCUSD promotes safe school environments for all students by engaging in a wide range of comprehensive and yearlong programs and activities to encourage a positive school culture and resilience in children. These activities focus on proactive practices to promote safe and welcoming schools, intervention strategies to address student behavior and education for students, families and staff.

Highlighted below are actions that promote safe and more welcoming schools within SCUSD:

• Annual training for teachers and staff in recognizing, intervening, reporting, and investigating bullying incidents
• Enforcement of Bullying Prevention and related Board Policies 
• Teaching of Social and Emotional Learning (SEL) skills through the use of programs such as Second Step, Kimochis, Restorative Practices, etc. 
• Collection of data to inform, guide, and monitor programs and services (California Healthy Kids Survey, California School Parent Survey, California School Staff Survey) and Santa Clara Office of Education's SEL survey
• Direct instruction on bullying and positive relationships
• Access to licensed mental health staff to support prevention and intervention services
• Parent workshops on bullying and healthy relationships 

Santa Clara County Office of Education 

California Department Of Education 

The school site where the student attends is responsible for investigating allegations of bullying or harassment. 

If you, or someone you know is a victim of bullying or harassment, please report the incident directly to your school site administrator. This can be the principal, or any other administrator at the school.

If the bullying is based on a protected characteristic (such as race, sex, religion, gender, etc.), you may file a complaint with the District's Uniform Complaint Procedure Officer.