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Watertown schools taking proactive measures toward bullying
By Laura PaineWicked Local WatertownPosted Dec 17, 2010 @ 01:03
PMLast update Dec 17, 2010 @ 01:06 PM
WATERTOWN Bullying has long been on the radar of Watertown
Public Schools, but anew policy draft provides definitions for what
bullying means and an outline of what willhappen if students are
caught committing the crime.
The Watertown School Departments Policy Subcommittee recently
fleshed out a draft ofthe towns anti-bullying policy, which is due
to the state government by the end of December.
They are asking parents and community members to give their
input.I think its an issue that is in constant need of addressing,
said Watertown Middle School
Assistant Principal Jason DelPorto. I dont think its a problem
but its an issue that has toresonate like a beating drum [and be
considered] on an ongoing basis. There are fewincidents [in
Watertowns schools].
On Dec. 6, the School Committee unanimously voted to revise the
anti-bullying policy,after originally adopting it on Sept. 13.
The Massachusetts Legislature passed the Act Relative to
Bullying in Schools on May 3,requiring all school districts to
develop a policy prohibiting bullying through the use ofspecific
language and definitions.
Its not clear what will make a difference, said School Committee
member David Leon.It will take the whole community and layers of
prevention and intervention, but we are stilltrying to figure
[that] out. Our larger society is full of examples of bullying in
many differentrealms, whether it is anonymous blogs, politics or
sports. There is a bullying culture we haveto counteract.
Under the most recent policy drafted, bullying has been defined
as a repeated action of oneor more children with the intent to
cause fear, physical or emotional harm to a person or totheir
property by way of written, verbal, electronic, physical acts or
gestures, or anycombination of those activities, which may create a
hostile learning or social environment ordisrupt the educational
process for the child who is being bullied.
The basic premise is around safety, DelPorto said. Kids who feel
safe in schools and are
happy learn better. Kids who are connected and feel comfortable
with their teachers, learnfaster and have a much more pleasant
experience in school. When those things stop, learningstarts to
wane. We have to take very good care in creating a safe environment
in our school.Its a number one prio rity. Without the safety, the
academics to work.
Educational components will be put in place for faculty,
students and the community toclarify the policy so that everyone
understands what is expected from them and what therules and
regulations of the legislation includes.
Cyberbullying, or the use of social networking websites such as
Facebook, Twitter orinstant messaging services to intimidate a
child, falls under the new legislation.
Online bullying can be viral in a matter of minutes, Leon said.
Something can be out inthe whole community and has potential to be
anonymous and creates a permanent record.When mixed with the
compulsion of teenagers, it creates a real powerful cocktail that
we arejust beginning to see the impact of these factors.
Retaliation of bullying has also been outlawed in the draft,
which describes the act as any
form of intimidation, reprisal or harassment of a student who
has reported bullying or hasprovided information during an
investigation. If retaliation occurs, an investigation will
beconducted by the designated school staff member and can include
interviews with students,staff, witnesses and parents.
[The designee will] inform parents immediately and let them know
they are ininvestigation mode, reporting back as progress [is
made], DelPorto said. We [need to] teaseapart all the issues in the
background of what happens in these events and make sure theydont
happen again.
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To ensure the victims safety, measures could include arranging a
seating plan in theclassroom, at lunch, or on the bus. It could
even as far as changing the aggressors scheduleto cut back on their
access to the targeted child.
What I like about the new law is that it mandates early
intervention and education first,DelPorto said. Not only do we have
a discipline route, but we are now mandated to makesure both
parties have safety intervention plans.
When it comes to disciplinary action, the person conducting the
investigation will consider
the nature of the incident, age of the children involved, and
other circumstances. Falsereports of bullying will be handled the
same way.
Punishment can range anywhere from detentions to multiple-day
suspensions or police andcourt involvement, DelPorto said. There
are clearly consequences that play out once wedetermine it is a
bullying event and we temper those responses based on the severity
of theissue.
The Watertown Police Department will only be contacted if the
school believes criminalcharges should be pursued against the
aggressor. This law extends to former students underthe age of 21
as well, regardless of their enrollment status in the district.
DelPorto also said the focus of the policy will be on prevention
and intervention, not justpunishment.
We are really aiming at how to prevent it from occurring again,
not only for the target butfor the aggressor, DelPorto said. They
are educational moments and we have to teach theseskills to
[create] change.
Laura Paine can be reached at [email protected] 2010
Watertown TAB & Press. Some rights reserved
