No Sticks, No Stones: BASIS Charter Schools Stands Up to Bullying
Bullying, as defined by the American Psychological Association, is a form of aggressive behavior in which someone intentionally and repeatedly causes another injury or discomfort.
Typically, bullying is an imbalance of power where one party has a higher degree of control (physical or mental) over another. It can be broken down into three categories, Verbal, Social, and Physical.
Examples of bullying
Some examples of bullying include:
- Teasing
- Threatening bodily harm
- Telling peers not to be friends with certain people
- Embarrassing others in public
- Physical harm such as hitting, punching, kicking etc.
- Stealing personal property
Once just an ominous figure in the schoolyard, bullying has taken on a new shape and presents different threats. Cyberbullying, harassment conducted electronically through social media, messaging, and email, is a growing problem.
No matter the type of bullying, harassing behavior has been linked to lower academic achievement in addition to mental health issues. As a result of their behavior, bullies are also a great risk to themselves. Consequences such as alcohol and drug abuse, criminal activity, and domestic abuse are common among those who bully others.
We take bullying seriously
At BASIS Charter Schools we take bullying, harassment, and discrimination seriously. We want each of our campuses to be a safe place for all students, teachers, and staff, and we encourage diversity. As a result, students are expected to act with respect.
Our code of conduct calls for:
- Promoting respect for fellow students and staff members
- Promoting respect for all individuals
- Promoting individual and community responsibility
- Providing a safe environment for students
- Providing a disruption-free, educational environment
To reinforce our code, each campus provides age-appropriate training and an overview of:
- Bullying: What it is and how to deal with it
- Cyberbullying and online safety
- Harassment and discrimination
- Available mental health resources
BASIS Charter Schools is committed to a zero-tolerance policy when it comes to bullying, discrimination, and harassment. Students are encouraged to report (anonymously if they wish) incidents through forms made available at every school.
Our goal is to provide your student with a well-rounded, exceptional education and bullying, discrimination, and harassment have no place on that agenda. Have questions? Please contact your local BASIS Charter School for more information.
If you think your student needs additional mental health support, check out the National Alliance on Mental Illness for valuable resources.
To find out more about training that BASIS Charter Schools does for its student, hear from school professionals discussing BOSS Camp.
Notice of Non-Discrimination: In accordance with Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972, Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, the Age Discrimination Act of 1975, Title II of the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990, the Boy Scouts of America Equal Access Act and applicable state law, BASIS* does not discriminate on the basis of actual or perceived race, color, religion, national origin, sex, age, disability, gender identity or expression, or any other classification protected by law in any of its business activities, including its educational programs and activities which comply fully with the requirements of state and federal law and Title IX. The following person has been designated to handle inquiries regarding BASIS’ non-discrimination policies: Beverly Traver, Compliance and Equity Investigator, BASIS Educational Group, LLC., 7975 N. Hayden Rd, Scottsdale, AZ 85258, (480) 289-2088.
*As used in this policy, the term “BASIS” refers to: BASIS Educational Group, LLC, BASIS Charter Schools, Inc., BASIS Texas Charter Schools, Inc., BDC, A Public School, Inc., BBR Schools, Inc., and all affiliated entities.