What is Bullying?
Alberta’s provincial legislation defines bullying as: repeated and hostile or demeaning behaviour by an individual in the school community where the behaviour is intended to cause harm, fear or distress to one or more other individuals in the school community, including psychological harm or harm to an individual’s reputation. It can focus on: disability; sexual orientation; gender identity; sexuality; race/ethnicity/religion; or other issues.
For Educators
How does the province of Alberta define bullying? Is there formal legislation in place that dicates how schools, both public and private, should protect students from bullying and promote bullying prevention?
Educators are responsible for helping nurture and develop the social and emotional skills students need to engage in healthy relationships, and to teach students that bullying is wrong and unacceptable. In order to do this, there are certain responsibilities and expectations educators must fulfill, both in the classroom and at the ministry level.
In Alberta, there is formal legislation on bullying under the School Act. The legislation is a commitment of the school community to ensure a welcoming, caring, respectful and safe learning environment. The legislation specifically prohibits students from bullying others in, during the school day or by electronic means (cyberbullying). Students have an obligation to report bullying behaviour, including cyberbullying. Furthermore, school boards must establish a code of conduct for students that addresses bullying behaviour.
For more details on cyberbullying legislation, including federal legislation, please visit: Legal Consequences of Cyberbullying
Legal Requirements for Private Schools in Alberta
Private schools are included within the definition of school in The School Act. Section 28 of the Act authorizes two kinds of private schools to operate in Alberta: registered private schools and accredited private schools. Both registered and accredited private schools are subject to ministerial regulation. This means the Minister may make regulations respecting private schools and so the same responsibilities that public schools owe to maintain a safe and inclusive environment also apply to private schools.
Charter schools, which are specialized non-profit public schools, are bound by the same laws and regulations as standard public schools.
Educators share responsibility with parents and other adults in students’ lives to nurture the development of the social emotional skills that students need to engage in healthy relationships, and to teach students that bullying is wrong and unacceptable. Educators have the responsibility to model and promote anti-bullying behaviours in schools.
These are your rights as an educator:
- You have the right to invite parents or legal guardians to review the code of conduct for students that addresses bullying behaviour.
- You have the right to encourage parents and legal guardians to:
- Help their children abide by the school’s code of conduct; and
- Demonstrate positive behaviours that include showing appreciation and respect for diversity, and engaging in positive, non-violent conflict resolution.
- You have the right to ask for parents or legal guardians to take an active interest in their child’s academic and social progress.
- You have the right to encourage parents or legal guardians to communicate regularly with the school if there is a concern about bullying, including cyberbullying.
This is what is expected of you as an educator:
At the Classroom/School Level:
- You are expected to model high standards for safe, caring and responsible behaviours.
- You are expected to maintain consistent expectations of positive behaviour for all students.
- You are expected to collaborate with parents and legal guardians in promoting a safe and caring learning environment.
- You are expected to address incidents that occur away from the school building, including cyberbullying, but that affect the school by being injrious to the physical or mental well-being of others in the school.
- The principal is expected to suspend, or in extreme situations, expel, a student if, in the opinion of the teacher or principal, the student’s conduct, whether or not the conduct occurs within the school building, during the school day, or through electronic means, is injurious to the physical or mental well-being of others in the school.
If a student discloses, or if you as an educator have witnessed that a student has been bullied at school or cyberbullied, or if you hear about it from school personnel or someone else, the legislation does not specifically outline a course of action. The following recommendations are offered by PREVNet as a guideline in maintaining a safe learning environment.
At the Classroom/School Level:
- You are responsible for ensuring school principals or their delegates are told of the incident, so that they can investigate and address reports of bullying and cyberbullying, including notifying parents/guardians in a timely fashion.
- Delegated school personnel are responsible for working with the parents/guardians and principal in developing and implementing a safety plan for a student who has been bullied, so that he/she can feel safe at school and going to and from school.
- Delegated school personnel are responsible for checking in with the bullied student on a regular basis (e.g., daily, every few days, weekly, biweekly, monthly etc.) to ensure the bullying has stopped and the situation is resolved.
- Delegated school personnel are responsible for consistently monitoring the student who bullied to ensure that the student is no longer perpetuating bullying behaviour.
- You should expect there is a progressive discipline policy in place that guides the choice of just and effective responses to bullying. Progressive discipline means that initially students who bully receive consequences that help them learn from the experience and take responsibility for their actions, known as “formative consequences”. If bullying behaviour continues, consequences progress in severity. Consequences always take into account the unique characteristics of the situation which include:
- the developmental level of the involved students;
- the prior history of the involved students;
- exceptionalities of the involved students;
- the severity of the incident; and
- the harm that was done to the student who was bullied.
At the School Board Level:
- You should expect there is school board policy in place affirming the school board’s commitment to a safe and positive learning environment.
- You should expect that there is a policy in place about sharing information with parents/guardians while maintaining the privacy of all students.
- You should expect there are guidelines in place outlining the school board’s responsibility to become involved in a bullying situation when there is an enduring problem that has not been successfully resolved at the school level.
- You should expect that there is a policy in place regarding removing a student from school if repeated bullying behaviours compromise a safe learning environment.
- You should expect that the policy and role of the school board in decision making involving suspensions, removals, and expulsions is clearly explained to parents, as are the procedures for resolving issues.
At the Ministry Level:
- You should expect there are resources available to provide the necessary supports to students who have been bullied, who have bullied others, and who have witnessed bullying.
- You should expect that the role of the Ministry in decision making involving suspensions, removals, and expulsions is clearly explained to parents, as are the procedures for resolving issues.
- You should expect that there are alterative programs in place for youth who were removed from their community schools, and plans are made for a supported re-entry when possible.
And finally,
Remember to consider your own behaviour, despite any disagreements or hostility you may encounter. Children and youth closely watch what the adults in their life do and are influenced as much by your actions as your words. When students see you being respectful and empathic towards others, even when you disagree, they are more likely to behave the same way.
For more resources, please visit: https://www.prevnet.ca
For Parents
How does the law in Alberta address bullying and how does it work to protect students, whether the bullying is on or off school property, face-to-face or electronic?
Parents are responsible for working with the adults in their child’s life to teach children and youth that bullying is wrong and unacceptable. Schools, school boards, parents, teachers and ministries must work together to create safe and inclusive environments where everyone is treated with respect. As part of this collaborative effort to create a safe school environment, parents have certain rights under the current legislation. Parents of a child who has been victimized by bullying, or who has bullied, have various rights that apply in the classroom, at the school board level and at the ministry level.
In Alberta, there is formal legislation on bullying and cyberbullying under the School Act . The legislation is a commitment of the school community to ensure a welcoming, caring, respectful and safe learning environment. The legislation specifically prohibits students from bullying others in school, during the school day or by electronic means (cyberbullying). Students have an obligation to report bullying behaviour, including cyberbullying. Furthermore, school boards must establish a code of conduct for students that addresses bullying behaviour.
For more details on cyberbullying legislation, including federal legislation, please visit: Legal Consequences of Cyberbullying
Legal Requirements for Private Schools in Alberta
Private schools are included within the definition of school in The School Act (Alberta). Section 28 of the Act authorizes two kinds of private schools to operate in Alberta: registered private schools and accredited private schools. Both registered and accredited private schools are subject to ministerial regulation. This means the Minister may make regulations respecting private schools and so the same responsibilities that public schools owe to maintain a safe and inclusive environment also apply to private schools.
Charter schools, which are specialized non-profit public schools, are bound by the same laws and regulations as standard public schools.
Parents/guardians have a responsibility to work with the adults in their child’s life (teachers, school principals, coaches, and group leaders) so that together, they can teach students that bullying is wrong and unacceptable. Schools, (public or private) school boards, parents, teachers, students, and ministries are all responsible for creating safe environments where everyone is treated with respect.
Parents/guardians also have a responsibility to help their child meet his or her responsibilities. This includes modelling kindness and other anti-bullying behaviours, reporting any problems at school to the teacher as soon as possible, and maintaining positive and respectful communication with teachers and other school staff.
These are your rights as a parent under the current legislation:
At the Classroom/School Level:
- You have the right to expect the school to provide your child with a welcoming, caring, respectful and safe learning environment that respects diversity and fosters a sense of belonging.
- You have the right to know that a teacher or principal may suspend or, in extreme circumsances, expel, a student if, in the opinion of the teacher or principal, the student’s conduct is injurious to the physical or mental well-being of others in the school, whether or not the conduct occurs within the school building or during the school day, and including cyberbullying.
- You have the right to expect teachers and other staff to promote and model bully prevention attitudes and behaviours
At the School Board Level:
- You have the right to expect school administrators will ensure that each student is enrolled in a school operated by the school board and each staff member employed by the board will provide a welcoming, caring, respectful and safe learning environment that respects diversity and fosters a sense of belonging.
- You have the right to expect the school board to establish, implement and maintain a policy respecting the board’s obligation to provide a welcoming, caring, respectful and safe learning environment that includes the establishment of a code of conduct for students that addresses bullying behaviour.
- You have the right to expect that the code of conduct explains what is acceptable and unacceptable behaviour – in the school and also outside the school grounds and hours when it affects the learning environment.
- You have the right to expect the code of conduct must be made publicly available and reviewed every year.
- You have the right to expect that the 3rd week in November each year is designated Bullying Awareness and Prevention Week and is used to promote awareness and understanding of bullying and its consequences in the school community
If your child confides that he or she has been bullied at school or cyberbullied, or if you hear about it from school personnel or someone else, your rights as a parent under the current legislation are:
At the Classroom/School Level:
- You have the right to engage in the child’s school community and encourage, foster and advance collaborative, positive and respectful relationships with teachers, principals, other school staff and professionals providing supports and services in the school.
Students who are being bullied often do not want their parents/guardians to report it to the school out of fear or shame, but teachers and administration need to know about the bullying in order to stop it. Work with your child to determine which adults he or she trusts and feels most comfortable with, so that these adults can be involved in the solution.
Remember: approach the school in a calm, supportive manner despite the painful feelings of anger and worry you may feel. It is your job to protect your child, but it is the school’s role to maintain a safe learning environment for all students. It is the school’s responsibility to determine appropriate responses and consequences for the student who bullied and to maintain students’ privacy. Stay focused on solving the problem – preventing further incidents and enabling your child to feel safe and supported.
At the School Board Level:
- You have the right to expect the school board’s Code of Conduct will ensure that support is provided for students who are impacted by inappropriate behaviour, including bullying.
Students who are being bullied often do not want their parents/guardians to report it to the school out of fear or shame, but teachers and administration need to know about the bullying in order to stop it. Work with your child to determine which adults he or she trusts and feels most comfortable with, so that these adults can be involved in the solution.
Remember: approach the school in a calm, supportive manner despite the painful feelings of anger and worry you may feel. It is your job to protect your child, but it is the school’s role to maintain a safe learning environment for all students. It is the school’s responsibility to determine appropriate responses and consequences for the student who bullied and to maintain students’ privacy. Stay focused on solving the problem – preventing further incidents and enabling your child to feel safe and supported.
If you find out that your child has bullied at school or cyberbullied, either through hearing about it from school personnel, your child, or someone else, your rights as a parent under the current legislation are:
At the Classroom/School Level:
- You have the right to be informed of any suspension taken against your child and the right to meet with the principal to discuss the suspension.
- In the case of expulsion, you have the right to make representations to the board with respect to the principal’s reccomendations to expel your child.
At the School Board Level:
- You have the right to expect that disciplinary consequences for unacceptable behaviour are included in the school board’s Code of Conduct and must take into account the student’s age, maturity, and individual circumstances, and must ensure support is provided for students who engage in unacceptable behaviour.
- Give yourself time to process your emotions. Learning that your child was bullied or cyberbullied – or bullied or cyberbullied someone else – can be very painful. Listen carefully to the information and if necessary, say you need some time to come to terms with the information before moving forward.
- Respond caringly to your child. Take reports of bullying seriously. Always recognize your child’s courage in reporting or talking about the bullying. Explain to it is your responsibility to help solve the problem and stop the bullying, and this includes reporting the bullying to the school and working cooperatively with the school. Reassure the student who was bullied that he or she has the right to be safe, to be protected by adults at school, and to be treated with respect by everyone. Help the student who bullied understand these rights. Emphasize his or her responsibility to treat others with respect.
- Visit www.prevnet.ca to gather more information about bullying.
- Before meeting with school personnel to create a safety plan for your child, or a positive response plan if your child has bullied, set short and long-term goals. It is important to identify what you are trying to accomplish and to know what to expect from the school based on its rights and responsibilities under the legislation.
- Follow up and monitor how the plan is working. Check in regularly with your child and with the school to ensure that the problem is being addressed and that there have not been any more incidents. Initially check in daily, and then gradually reduce the check-ins to every few days, every week, etc. Often it is necessary to monitor for several months.
- From the first time you become aware of the situation, keep an ongoing record of what happened, when it happened, what was done, and whether the plan of action was effective in stopping the bullying.
Remember, you are a role model for your children. Children watch what their parents do very closely, and are influenced by your actions as well as your words. If your children see you communicating respectfully and remaining constructive in the face of disagreements with others, they are more likely to behave the same way.
Read more here.
If a student discloses, or if you as an educator have witnessed that a student has been bullied at school, or if you hear about it from school personnel or someone else, these are your responsibilities as an educator.
At the Classroom/School Level:
- You are responsible for ensuring school principals or their delegates are told of the incident, so that they can investigate and address reports of bullying and cyberbullying, including notifying parents/guardians in a timely fashion.
- Delegated school personnel are responsible for working with the parents/guardians and principal in developing and implementing a safety plan for a student who has been bullied, so that he/she can feel safe at school and going to and from school.
- Delegated school personnel are responsible for checking in with the bullied student on a regular basis (e.g., daily, every few days, weekly, biweekly, monthly etc.) to ensure the bullying or cyberbullying has stopped and the situation is resolved.
- Delegated school personnel are responsible for consistently monitoring the student who bullied or cyberbullied to ensure that the student is no longer perpetuating bullying behaviour.
- You should expect there to be a progressive discipline policy in place that guides the choice of just and effective responses to bullying and cyberbullying. Progressive discipline means that initially students who bully receive consequences that help them learn from the experience and take responsibility for their actions, known as “formative consequences”. If bullying behaviour continues, consequences progress in severity. Consequences always take into account the unique characteristics of the situation which include:
- the developmental level of the involved students;
- the prior history of the involved students;
- exceptionalities of the involved students;
- the severity of the incident;
- the harm that was done to the student who was bullied.
At the School District Level:
You have the right to expect the safe schools plan to include policies and guidelines with respect to:
- the reporting, by students, parents, guardians and other persons, of incidents of bullying;
- the documentation, by the school and the education body, of incidents of bullying; and
- a timely and appropriate response by the school and the education body to incidents of bullying
At the Department Level:
- You should expect there to be resources available to provide the necessary supports to students who have been bullied or cyberbullied, who have bullied or cyberbullied others, and who have witnessed bullying.
And finally,
Remember to consider your own behaviour, despite any disagreements or hostility you may encounter. Students closely watch what the adults in their life do and are influenced as much by your actions as your words. When students see you being respectful and empathic towards others, even when you disagree, they are more likely to behave the same way.
For more resources, please visit: www.prevnet.ca
