The Vicksburg Warren School District is devoted to providing a safe and orderly educational environment for students, employees, patrons and volunteers that is free from harassment, intimidation or bullying. 

• BULLYING AND HARASSING BEHAVIOR

  The Mississippi Code of 1973, Section 37-11-67 defines “Bullying or Harassing Behavior in public schools” as any pattern of gestures or written, electronic or verbal communications, or any physical act or any threatening communication, or any act of reasonably perceived as being motivated by any actual or perceived on differentiating characteristic, that takes place on school property, at any school-sponsored function, or on a school bus that:

  1.  Places a student or school employee in actual and reasonable fear of harm to his or her person or damage to his or her property; or

  2. Creates or is certain to create a hostile environment by substantially interfering with or impairing a student’s educational performance, opportunities or benefits.  For purposes of this section, “hostile environment” means that the victim subjectively views the conduct as bullying or harassing behavior and the conduct is objectively severe or pervasive enough that a reasonable person would agree that it is bullying or harassing behavior.  

  The Board of Trustees of the Vicksburg Warren School District prohibits bullying or harassing behaviors of students, school employees, or volunteers.  The District will make every reasonable effort to ensure that no person or school employee is subjected to bullying or harassing behavior.  

  The District encourages anyone who has witnessed or has reliable information that a student or school employee has been subject to any act of bullying or harassing behavior to report the incident to the appropriate school official.  Retaliation or reprisal against any person, including a victim, a witness, or other person, who in good faith provides information concerning an incident of bullying or harassing behavior, is prohibited. 

  PROCEDURE FOR REPORTING BULLYING OR HARASSING BEHAVIOR

  •  Any student, school employee or volunteer who feels he/she has been a victim of bullying or harassing behavior, or has witnessed or who has reliable information that a student, school employee or volunteer has been subject to bullying or harassing behavior shall report such conduct to a teacher, principal, counselor or other school official.  The report shall be made promptly but no later than five (5) calendar days after the alleged act or acts occurred.

  • The complaint form shall be completed and submitted to the principal.  The complaint form which shall include the name of the reporting person, the specific nature and date of the misconduct, the names of the victim of the misconduct, the names of any witnesses and any other information that would assist in the investigation of the complaint.

  • Parents will be notified of the nature of any complaint involving their student.

  • The school administrator conducting the investigation shall notify the victim and parents as appropriate when the investigation is completed and a decision regarding disciplinary action, as warranted, is determined. 

  •  If, after an investigation, a student is found to be a victim of bullying, such student shall not face disciplinary action on the basis of that student's use of “reasonable self-defense'' was in response to the bullying.

  •  If the victim of bullying is a student with disabilities, disciplinary action for the offender shall comply with the requirements of federal law including the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act

  • Counseling services will be made available to any student who is a victim of or a witness to bullying, or who engages in bullying. 

  • If the victim is not satisfied with the decision of the District official, he/she may submit a written appeal to the superintendent.  Such appeal shall be filed within ten (10) working days after receipt of the results of the initial decision.

  • If the victim is not satisfied with the decision of the superintendent, a written appeal may be filed with the Board.  Such appeal shall be filed within ten (10) working days after receipt of the decision of the superintendent.

  •  Complaints against the principal shall be made to the superintendent and complaints against the superintendent shall be made to the Board chairman.