Ever been name-called or teased or had rumors spread about you?

At Westlake Elementary any form of harassment or bullying is unacceptable and we will do everything we can to help you out.

What is a Bully?
A bully is someone who purposely hurts, frightens, or threatens someone else. They can hurt other people by name calling, teasing, rumor spreading, verbal threats, physical violence, purposely leaving someone out, or making offensive comments to someone else.

Bullying is one sided, intentional, and repeated harassment.

What do I do if I am being Bullied?

Try These Strategies:

TALK: Calmly, assertively, and clearly tell the bully that you don’t like what they are doing and what you expect them to do instead.

Example: “I don’t like it when you call me “four eyes.” You need to call me by my name. You can also use humor, say “so,” laugh it off, or change the subject.

WALK: Walk away and avoid the person who is bothering you. Go hang out with your friends or go to a teacher’s classroom. Go anywhere BUT where the bully is. However, make sure that you are around friends or adults that you trust!

IGNORE: Typically, a bully wants to see you get upset, react, or say something back to them. If you completely ignore the bully then they may stop because they are not getting a reaction from you.

TELL: If the student continues to bother, bully, or harass you report it immediately to a teacher, counselor, or administrator. Whoever you chose to tell make sure that they are someone that you trust to help you! Sometimes the bully will not stop even after you try to stop it yourself. DO NOT IGNORE IT. It is extremely important that you report it so that the bully does not continue to harass you or another student. It is also important that you document and fill out a Student Report form with the school. We will do everything in our power to protect you and your privacy while resolving the situation. We do not want any student to accept this behavior!

What do I do if I see another student being bothered, bullied, or harassed by another student?
Report it immediately to a teacher, administrator or counselor. Sometimes you might see a student harassing another student. Come to the Office and fill out a Student Statement about what you saw. We will talk to you about what you saw and keep the conversation private and confidential.

What Happens Next?
We will call you in to speak with you about what happened to you or what you saw happen to another student. Second, we will talk to the bully and hear what they have to say. Finally, we will investigate the incident and try to resolve the situation. If you are reporting a bully we will work with you to keep your name confidential.

No one should accept bullying or harassment. The teachers and staff at Westlake Elementary will do all it can to stop any type of bullying behavior. Depending on the severity of the bullying or harassment responsible students will be subject to disciplinary action. No student should have their education interrupted due to being the subjected to harassment or bullying.

What NOT to do if you are Bullied

Don't...

• Think it is your fault. No one deserves to be bullied!
• Fight back or bully the person back. This won't solve the problem and it will get you into trouble. 
• Keep it to yourself and hope that the bullying will "go away." It is normal to want to try to ignore bullying and hope that it will stop or hope that the person will pick on someone else. However, bullying often won't stop until adults and other kids get involved. Be sure to report bullying.
• Think that you are a "tattle tale" if you tell an adult that you that you've been bullied. Telling is NOT tattling. It is the right thing to do.

Additional Resources: http://www.stopbullying.gov