Bully-Free Schools

The purpose of the Christina School District (CSD) Bully-Free Schools Initiative is to heighten awareness around the issue of bullying and to promote a safe learning environment for all students. The initiative includes professional development, sharing of research-based information, recommendations and interventions, and activities for administrators, staff, students, and parents.

What is Bullying?

Aggressive behavior that is intentional and involves an imbalance of power and strength
Physical or psychological intimidation that occurs repeatedly over time
Bullying can be direct (i.e., taunting, hitting, or stealing); boys are most often overt bullies
Bullying can be indirect (i.e., Spreading rumors or exclusion); girls are most often indirect bullies

Four Types of Bullying

Types of bullying can be broken down into four main categories: physical, verbal, relationship, and cyber.

	Physical Bullying Hitting, kicking or pushing someone Stealing, hiding or ruining someone's things Making someone do something he or she doesn't want to do
	Verbal Bullying Name-calling Taunting Insulting
	Relationship Bullying Refusing to talk to someone Spreading lies and rumors about someone Making someone feel left out or rejected
	Cyber Bullying Emails Instant messaging Texting Blogs Chat Rooms Communication technologies

Student Services
Christina School District
Administration Office
1899 S. College Avenue
Newark, DE 19702

Phone: 302-552-2711

Report Bullying

Anti-Bullying
Legislation in Delaware

Resources for Educators
Resources for Parents
Resources for Students
Anti-Bullying Legislation in Delaware - House Bill No. 7

House Bill No. 7: An act to amend Title 14 of the Delaware Code to establish the School Bullying Prevention Act

State definition of bullying:

(1) "Bullying" means any intentional written, electronic, verbal, or physical act against another student, a school district or charter school volunteer, or a school district or charter school employee that a reasonable person under the circumstances should know will have any of the following effects:

a. Place a student, school district or charter school volunteer, or school district or charter school employee in reasonable fear of substantial harm to the student's, volunteer's, or employee's emotional or physical well-being or substantial damages to the student's, volunteer's, or employee's property.

b. Create a hostile, threatening, humiliating, or abusive educational environment due to the pervasiveness or persistence of actions or due to a power differential between the bully and the target.

c. Interfere with a student having a safe school environment that is necessary to facilitate educational performance, opportunities, or benefits.

d. Perpetuate bullying by inciting, soliciting, or coercing an individual or group to demean, dehumanize, embarrass, or cause emotional, psychological, or physical harm to another student, school district or charter school volunteer, or school district or charter school employee.
Anti-Bullying Legislation in Delaware - 624

624 School District/Charter School Policy Prohibiting Cyberbullying

Authenticated PDF Version

1.0 Cyberbullying Forbidden

In addition to the policy prohibiting bullying put in place by school districts and charter schools pursuant to 14 Del.C. §4112D(b)(2), each school district and charter school shall also prohibit cyberbullying (as defined herein) by students directed at other students. Incidents of cyberbullying shall be treated by each school district and charter school in the same manner as incidents of bullying, and notice of each school district's and charter school's policy against cyberbullying shall be provided to students, staff, and faculty in the same manner as notice of the school district's and charter school's policy against bullying.

2.0 Definition of Cyberbullying

2.1 Cyberbullying means the use of uninvited and unwelcome electronic communication directed at an identifiable student or group of students, through means other than face-to-face interaction, which (1) interferes with a student's physical well-being; or (2) is threatening or intimidating; or (3) is so severe, persistent, or pervasive that it is reasonably likely to limit a student's ability to participate in or benefit from the educational programs of the school district or charter school. Communication shall be considered to be directed at an identifiable student or group of students if it is sent directly to that student or group, or posted in a medium that the speaker knows is likely to be available to a broad audience within the school community.

2.2 Whether speech constitutes cyberbullying will be determined from the standpoint of a reasonable student of the same grade and other circumstances as the victim.

2.3 The place of origin of speech otherwise constituting cyberbullying is not material to whether it is considered cyberbullying under this policy, nor is the use of school district or charter school materials.

2.4 Upon implementation of this policy, and again at the beginning of each academic year, each school district and charter school shall inform students in writing of mediums where posting of speech will be presumed to be available to a broad audience within the school community, regardless of privacy settings or other limitations on those postings. From implementation of this policy through the end of the 2013-2014 school year, postings on Facebook, Twitter, MySpace, YouTube, and Pinterest shall be included in each district's and charter school’s list of mediums where posting of speech will be presumed to be available to a broad audience within the school community, regardless of privacy settings or other limitations on those postings.

2.5 Nothing in this policy shall limit in any way a school district's or charter school's ability to regulate student conduct, including bullying, in any manner provided for by existing law, regulation, or policy.

16 DE Reg. 955 (03/01/13)

Last Modified on October 17, 2022

Bully-Free Schools

What is Bullying?

Four Types of Bullying

Resources for Educators

Resources for Parents

Resources for Students

Anti-Bullying Legislation in Delaware - House Bill No. 7

Anti-Bullying Legislation in Delaware - 624