Newfoundland’s Safe and Caring Schools Policy defines bullying as a pattern of aggressive behaviour meant to hurt or cause discomfort to another person. Participating in bullying includes directly carrying out, assisting, or encouraging the behaviour in any way. The bully has more perceived power than the victim. Bullying can be physical, verbal, social, and/or electronic. Some bullying behaviours may be illegal (e.g.: an offence under the Criminal Code of Canada).
Bullying can focus on: disability, sexual orientation, gender identity, sexuality, race/ethnicity/religion, or other issues. Bullying behaviour typically involves repetition or the threat of repetition and is intended to cause fear, intimidation, humiliation, distress or other forms of harm.
Newfoundland’s policy on bullying was updated by the Department of Education in 2013. The Safe and Caring Schools Policy defines bullying and includes a staff response protocol on how staff members should intervene, investigate, inform parents/guardians of, apply consequences for and document bullying incidents.
For more details on cyberbullying legislation, including federal legislation, please visit: Legal Consequences of Cyberbullying
Legal requirements for Private Schools in Newfoundland
Private schools in Newfoundland are included within the Schools Act and, are not exempt from regulation by the Minister. Therefore, the same responsibilities that public schools owe to maintain a safe and inclusive environment also apply to private 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 and cyberbullying are wrong and unacceptable. Schools, (public or private) school boards, parents, teachers, community members and ministries are all responsible for creating safe and inclusive environments where everyone is treated with respect.
These are your rights as a parent under the current policy:
At the Department of Education Level:
If you find out that your child has bullied or cyberbullied at school, either through hearing about it from school personnel, your child, or someone else, your rights as a parent under the current policy are:
At the School District Level:
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 or cyberbullied at school, 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:
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.