Section V: Policies and Procedures for Reporting and Responding to Bullying and Retaliation

The Taunton Public Schools has established policies and procedures for receiving and responding to reports of bullying or retaliation. These policies and procedures ensure that all members of the school community, including students, parents/guardians, and staff know what will happen when incidents of bullying occur.

1. Reporting bullying or retaliation.  Reports of bullying or retaliation may be made by staff, students, parents or guardians, or others, and may be oral or written.  Oral reports made by or to a staff member shall be recorded in writing.  A school or district staff member is required to report immediately to the principal or designee.  Reports made by students, parents or guardians, or other individuals who are not school or district staff members, may be made anonymously.  The school or district will make a variety of reporting resources available to the school community including, but not limited to, an Incident Reporting Form, as well as the contact information for the Director of Student Services.
   
   Use of an Incident Reporting Form is not required as a condition of making a report.  The school or district will: 1) include a copy of the Incident Reporting Form in the beginning of the year packets for students and parents or guardians; 2) make it available in the school’s main office, the counseling office, the school nurse's office, and other locations determined by the principal or designee; and 3) post it on the school’s website.  The Incident Reporting Form will be made available in the most prevalent language(s) of origin of students and parents or guardians.
   
   At the beginning of each school year, the school or district will provide the school community, including, but not limited to, educators, administrators, school nurses, cafeteria workers, custodians, bus drivers, athletic coaches, advisors to extracurricular activities, paraprofessionals, students, and parents or guardians, with written notice of its policies for reporting acts of bullying and retaliation.  A description of the reporting procedures and resources, including the name and contact information of the principal or designee, and the superintendent or designee when the principal or the assistant principal is the alleged aggressor, will be incorporated in student and staff handbooks, on the school or district website, and in information about the Plan that is made available to parents or guardians.
    
   1. Reporting by Staff
      A staff member will report immediately to the principal or designee, or to the superintendent or designee when the principal or the assistant principal is the alleged aggressor, or to the school committee or designee when the superintendent is the alleged aggressor when he/she witnesses or becomes aware of conduct that may be bullying or retaliation.  The requirement to report as provided does not limit the authority of the staff member to respond to behavioral or disciplinary incidents consistent with school or district policies and procedures for behavior management and discipline.
       
   2. Reporting by Students, Parents or Guardians, and Others
      The school or district expects students, parents or guardians, and others who witness or become aware of an instance of bullying or retaliation involving a student to report it to the principal or designee, or superintendent or designee when the principal or assistant principal is the alleged aggressor.  Reports may be made anonymously, but no disciplinary action will be taken against an alleged aggressor solely on the basis of an anonymous report.  Students, parents or guardians, and others may request assistance from a staff member to complete a written report.  Students will be provided practical, safe, private, and age-appropriate ways to report and discuss an incident of bullying with a staff member, or with the principal or designee, or superintendent or designee when the principal or assistant principal is the alleged aggressor.
       
2. Responding to a report of bullying or retaliation – Allegations of Bullying by a Student.
    
   1. Safety
      Before fully investigating the allegations of bullying or retaliation, the principal or designee will take steps to assess the need to restore a sense of safety to the alleged target and/or to protect the alleged target from possible further incidents.  Responses to promote safety may include, but not be limited to, creating a personal safety plan; pre-determining seating arrangements for the target and/or the aggressor in the classroom, at lunch, or on the bus; identifying a staff member who will act as a “safe person” for the target; and altering the aggressor’s schedule and access to the target.  The principal or designee will take additional steps to promote safety during the course of and after the investigation, as necessary.
      
      The principal or designee will implement appropriate strategies for protecting from bullying or retaliation a student who has reported bullying or retaliation, a student who has witnessed bullying or retaliation, a student who provides information during an investigation, or a student who has reliable information about a reported act of bullying or retaliation. 
       
   2. Obligations to Notify Others
       
      1. Notice to parents or guardians.  Upon determining that bullying or retaliation has occurred, the principal or designee will promptly notify the parents or guardians of the target and the student aggressor of this, and of the procedures for responding to it.  There may be circumstances in which the principal or designee contacts parents or guardians prior to any investigation.  Notice will be consistent with state regulations at 603 CMR 49.00. 
          
      2. Notice to Another School or District.  If the reported incident involves students from more than one school district, charter school, non-public school, approved private special education day or residential school, or collaborative school, the principal or designee first informed of the incident will promptly notify by telephone the principal or designee of the other school(s) of the incident so that each school may take appropriate action.  All communications will be in accordance with state and federal privacy laws and regulations, and 603 CMR 49.00.
          
      3. Notice to Law Enforcement.  At any point after receiving a report of bullying or retaliation, including after an investigation, if the principal or designee has a reasonable basis to believe that criminal charges may be pursued against the aggressor, the principal will notify the local law enforcement agency.  Notice will be consistent with the requirements of 603 CMR 49.00 and locally established agreements with the local law enforcement agency.  Also, if an incident occurs on school grounds and involves a former student under the age of 21 who is no longer enrolled in school, the principal or designee shall contact the local law enforcement agency if he or she has a reasonable basis to believe that criminal charges may be pursued against the student aggressor.
         
         In making this determination, the principal will, consistent with the Plan and with applicable school or district policies and procedures, consult with the school resource officer, if any, and other individuals the principal or designee deems appropriate. 
          
3. Investigation.  The principal or designee will investigate promptly all reports of bullying or retaliation and, in doing so, will consider all available information known, including the nature of the allegation(s) and the ages of the students involved.
   
   During the investigation, the principal or designee will, among other things, interview students, staff, witnesses, parents or guardians, and others as necessary. The principal or designee (or whoever is conducting the investigation) will remind the alleged student aggressor, target, and witnesses of the importance of the investigation, their obligation to be truthful and that retaliation against someone who reports bullying or provides information during a bullying investigation is strictly prohibited and will result in disciplinary action.
   
   Interviews may be conducted by the principal or designee, other staff members as determined by the principal or designee, and in consultation with the school counselor, as appropriate.  To the extent practicable, and given his/her obligation to investigate and address the matter, the principal or designee will maintain confidentiality during the investigative process. The principal or designee will maintain a written record of the investigation.
   
   Procedures for investigating reports of bullying and retaliation will be consistent with school or district policies and procedures for investigations.  If necessary, the principal or designee will consult with legal counsel about the investigation.
    
4. Determinations.  The principal or designee will make a determination based upon all of the facts and circumstances.  If, after investigation, bullying or retaliation is substantiated, the principal or designee will take steps reasonably calculated to prevent recurrence and to ensure that the target is not restricted in participating in school or in benefiting from school activities.  The principal or designee will: 1) determine what remedial action is required, if any, and 2) determine what responsive actions and/or disciplinary action is necessary.
   
   Depending upon the circumstances, the principal or designee may choose to consult with the students’ teacher(s) and/or school counselor, and the target’s or student aggressor’s parents or guardians, to identify any underlying social or emotional issue(s) that may have contributed to the bullying behavior and to assess the level of need for additional social skills development.
   
   The principal or designee will promptly notify the parents or guardians of the target and the aggressor about the results of the investigation and, if bullying or retaliation is found, what action is being taken to prevent further acts of bullying or retaliation.  All notices to parents must comply with applicable state and federal privacy laws and regulations.  Because of the legal requirements regarding the confidentiality of student records, the principal or designee cannot report specific information to the target’s parent or guardian about the disciplinary action taken unless it involves a “stay away” order or other directive that the target must be aware of in order to report violations.
   
   The principal or designee shall inform the parent or guardian of the target about the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education’s problem resolution system and the process for accessing that system, regardless of the outcome of the bullying determination.
    
5. Responses to Bullying. The Taunton Public Schools will utilize our student support staff to assist with planning for the safety of all students including but not limited to the target, aggressor, and or witnesses.
   1. Teaching Appropriate Behavior Through Skills-building
      
      Upon the principal or designee determining that bullying or retaliation has occurred, the law requires that the school or district use a range of responses that balance the need for accountability with the need to teach appropriate behavior.  M.G.L. c. 71, § 37O (d) (v).  Skill-building approaches that the principal or designee may consider include:
      1. offering individualized skill-building sessions based on the school’s/district’s anti-bullying curricula;
      2. providing relevant educational activities for individual students or groups of students, in consultation with guidance counselors and other appropriate school personnel;
      3. implementing a range of academic and nonacademic positive behavioral supports to help students understand pro-social ways to achieve their goals;
      4. meeting with parents and guardians to engage parental support and to reinforce the anti-bullying curricula and social skills building activities at home;
      5. adopting behavioral plans to include a focus on developing specific social skills; and
      6. making a referral for evaluation.
   2. Taking Disciplinary Action
      
      If the principal or designee decides that disciplinary action is appropriate, the disciplinary action will be determined on the basis of facts found by the principal or designee, including the nature of the conduct, the age of the student(s) involved, and the need to balance accountability with the teaching of appropriate behavior.  Discipline will be consistent with the Plan and with the school’s or district’s code of conduct.
      
      Discipline procedures for students with disabilities are governed by the federal Individuals with Disabilities Education Improvement Act (IDEA), which should be read in cooperation with state laws regarding student discipline.
      
      If the principal or designee determines that a student knowingly made a false allegation of bullying or retaliation, that student may be subject to disciplinary action.
       
   3. Promoting Safety for the Target and Others
      
      The principal or designee will consider what adjustments, if any, are needed in the school environment to enhance the target's sense of safety and that of others as well.  One strategy that the principal or designee may use is to increase adult supervision at transition times and in locations where bullying is known to have occurred or is likely to occur.
      
      Within a reasonable period of time following the determination and the ordering of remedial and/or disciplinary action, the principal or designee will contact the target to determine whether there has been a recurrence of the prohibited conduct and whether additional supportive measures are needed.  If so, the principal or designee will work with appropriate school staff to implement them immediately.
       
6. Responding to a Report of Bullying by School Staff. The Taunton Public Schools has policies and procedures that address how school or district administration will respond to and resolve a report of bullying of a student by school staff. The policies and procedures address safety planning, notification to parent or guardians and others, investigation, and response.  Reports should be directly shared with the Superintendent of Schools.