Bullying occurs when a student or group of students engage in written or verbal expression, expression through electronic means, or physical conduct that occurs on school property, at a school-sponsored or school-related activity, or in a vehicle operated by the District and that:

The action or threat must: 

Exploit an imbalance of power between the aggressor and the targeted student through written or verbal expression, expression through electronic means or physical conduct and at least one of the four clarifiers in the definition above. 

If the action or threat is through an electronic means and it occurred off of school property or outside of a school-sponsored/related event it must:

1. Exploits an imbalance of power between the aggressor and the targeted student through written or verbal expression, expression through electronic means or physical conduct and
   

2. Substantially disrupt the operation of a classroom, school, or school-sponsored event;  or infringe on the rights of the targeted student. 
   

If you think your child may have been bullied, the following checklist can help you determine if it should be reported to the school. All items must be answered “yes” to be considered bullying. However, if you are concerned about your child’s physical or psychological safety be sure to promptly contact campus administration.

IS IT BULLYING?

The behavior happened at school, school-related activity, or bus.	NO	The school has jurisdiction to address behavior that happened on campus, school events, or school transportation. If the behavior happened through electronics, it may fall into campus jurisdiction-report to campus administration if the other answers are yes.
YES	​	​
​ The behavior was on purpose with an intent to do harm.	​ NO	Accidents happen. If it is repeated, report the situation.
​   YES	​	​
​ The behavior is repeated.	​ NO	​The behavior may be rude or mean, but unless it is severe or repeated it is not bullying. Ask school personnel to help mediate the situation, if necessary.
​   YES	​	​
​ There is an imbalance of power or an attempt to create one.	​ NO	​Conflict can arise with peers, close friends, or in any social situation. Children are learning to navigate social interactions appropriately. Ask school personnel to help mediate the situation, if necessary.
​   YES	​	​
​ The behavior disrupted the educational environment or infringed on your child’s rights.	​ NO	​ The behavior must interfere with a student’s learning to meet the State definition of bullying.
​   YES	​	​
Report the incident to campus administration for a complete investigation.	​	​

Your concerns are important to us, even if the behavior does not constitute bullying. All behavior will be addressed according to the Katy ISD Discipline Management Plan. 

CONFLICT VS. BULLYING

Conflict is a behavior that is oftentimes confused with bullying because the behaviors can be the same. There are some key factors that distinguish between the two. Use the chart below to evaluate whether your situation is conflict or bullying. 

​Conflict	​Bullying
​	​
​	​
​Equal power	Imbalance of power
Disagreement or agreement where both parties are involved	One person intends to harm or humiliate the other
May be accidental	On purpose
If asked to stop, the other person would listen.	The aggressor does not consider the target’s feelings and would not stop.
Effort to come to a resolution	No attempt to resolve

The District prohibits bullying on school property, at school-sponsored or school-related activities, or in any vehicle operated by the District. Bullying may include verbal or written expression, expression through electronic means, or physical conduct. Bullying is not tolerated by the District, and any student or parent of a student who believes that the student or another student has experienced bullying or that a student has engaged in bullying is encouraged to immediately report the incident. Retaliation against anyone involved in the reporting process is a violation of District policy and is prohibited.

Students or parents may report an alleged incident of bullying, orally or in writing, to a teacher, school counselor, principal or other District employee. Students or parents may contact the District or campus to obtain the Student Report of Alleged Bullying that may be used to submit the report.

Please note that after submission of the complaint to the District employee, the District may assign the report to a campus administrator to follow up on the submitted report and any other important matters pertaining to the report. We encourage you to communicate with your designated campus administrator during this time.

More information about the District’s bullying policy can be found at Katy ISD Board Policy Manual - FF​I or the campus administration office.  Information on the District’s harassment policy can be found at Katy ISD Board Policy Manual - FFH.

FFI Exhibit - B