Each week this year, I have been updating our families with information about our school’s behaviour expectations. Our school Positive Behaviour for Learning plan is on the school website should you wish to peruse it. Our school invests most of our time towards teaching and rewarding the positive behaviours that our community wants.

Topics covered

Newsletter 1 – Swearing and inappropriate / offensive language and gestures
Newsletter 2 – Managing conflict
Newsletter 3 - Aggression
Newsletter 4 – Violence (including threats to others)
Newsletter 5 – Bullying
Newsletter 6 - Cyber-safety

Bullying
Bullying is a word that is frequently used but poorly understood.  It describes a vile behaviour that frightens parents and abhors communities. No reasonable person wants it but unfortunately it still exists.  

To begin to understand bullying, it must be clearly defined. Late last year, the Queensland Premier directed a 16-member Task force to develop a proposed framework to addresscyberbullyingg of children and young people in Queensland, and recommend community and government action. The task force terms of reference excluded workplace cyber-bullying of young people and recognised that cyber-bullying is one form of bullying.

The task force used the following definition of bullying:

• Bullying is an ongoing misuse of power in relationships through usually repeated verbal, physical and/or social behaviour that is intended to cause physical and/or psychological harm.
• It can involve an individual or a group misusing their power over one or more people. Bullying can happen in person or using digital or other technologies, and it can be obvious (overt) or hidden (covert).
• Bullying of any form or for any reason can have long-term effects on those involved, including bystanders.
• Single incidents and conflict or fights between equals, whether in person or online, are not defined as bullying.

Based on my experience as a Principal, I can tell parents that bullying exists but it is rarer than families may initially think. Most families refer to conflict between students as bullying but this is very different. Conflict is two way interaction but bullying is very single sided. 

We also consider students who are being mean as being involved in conflict or aggression.  As adults we understand 'the line' that separates meanness from racial, sexual, or personal verbal attacks and insults and these are managed differently (Please see Newsletter 1 for more information about these expectations) and I expect senior students to recognise this as well.  Being mean is not bullying if the instance is single in nature.  Repeated deliberate meanness can be considered bullying.

Deliberate bullying requires different approaches to be used for the bully and the victim. Both must learn from the behaviour and as a school we take this seriously.  Did you know that:

• Every report of bullying form students, staff or parents is investigated by either myself or my Deputies
• Parents can expect to be contacted by the school should we believe that your child has bullied or has been bullied.
• If your child has been a bully, consequences will be applied.

Consequences:  While every instance is different in it circumstances, the following information is a guide to what parents could expect should their child bully others.  Our school:

• Believes it reasonable to consider that Prep to Year 2 students are still in the learning phase. Nonetheless, bullying will result in serious consequences applied to the bully each and every time.
• Expects that students in the senior sectors (Years 3-6) already know the difference between right and wrong behaviours and the serious nature of bullying. language to use. If students in the senior school bully anyone, they can expect:
  • First incident: Suspension – 3 days
  • Second and subsequent incidents: Suspension – increasing lengths.
  • If reteaching and suspension cannot influence student behaviour, it may become necessary to apply exclusion processes.

NB:  It is a legal requirement that students with a disability that may affect their behavioural capacity be supported differently.  We acknowledge this and always apply this in our decision making.  

Please continue to discuss with your children, the standards that are expected by our community.
It is an offence for adults to intimidate or bully others on or around the school. This applies to conduct towards staff, students or other adults.

*********

Next week, I will discuss cyber-bullying and the task force recommendations. I will also highlight the proactive approach of our school - your children are already involved in these protective programs.  And you can be involved too.