Anti-Bullying/Harassment Complaint Form

The Spencer Community School District recognizes bullying is a serious issue and has created this site to raise awareness of the problem and also to make it easier to communicate bullying incidents. If you would like to report a bullying incident, please click the link above to complete the form.

Bullying is a serious problem that can happen anywhere.  No one should have to put up with being bullied and bullying is not a normal growing up phase that kids must go through.  Bullying can cause serious and lasting harm.  There are several definitions of bullying, though most agree it contains the following:  
1. An Imbalance of Power---People who bully use their power to control or harm others.  The people being bullied may have a hard time defending themselves.  
2. Intent to Cause Harm---A bully is trying to cause harm.  Something done by accident is not bullying.  
3. Repetition---Incidents of bullying happen to the same person over and over by the same person or group of people.  
In Iowa, the law defines harassment and bullying as: "Any electronic, written, verbal, or physical act or conduct toward a student [by another student, staff member, or volunteer] which is based on any actual or perceived trait or characteristic of the student and which creates an objectively hostile school environment that meets one or more of the following condtions:
1. Places the student in reasonable fear of harm to the student's person or property.
2. Has a substantially detrimental effect on the student's physcial or mental health.
3. Has the effect of substantially interfering with a student's academic performance.
4. Has the effect of substantially interfering with the student's ability to participate in or benefit from the services, activities, or privileges provided by a school.

Bullying can take on a variety of forms.  
1. Verbal---Name calling, taunting, etc.  
2. Social---Spreading rumors, excluding people on purpose, breaking up friendships, etc.
3. Physical---Hitting, shoving, punching, etc.
4. Cyberbullying---Using the internet (i.e. Facebook, Skype, etc.), text messaging, or other technologies to harm others.

1. Stay calm and tell the person to stop. Walk away.
2. Tell a teacher, counselor, assistant principal, or principal. If a student retaliates because you told someone, the consequences to the student are extremely severe.
3. You can report the incident online by using this form. You may also report an incident of bullying that has happened to someone else.
4. Save any evidence of the bullying such as text messages, emails, etc.
5. Remember you are not alone, there are a lot of people who want to help you.

Bystanders can have the greatest impact on bullying in our school. Teachers are not everywhere. The response or lack of response can send a strong message to the bully.
1. If you see someone bullying another student, tell them to knock it off or stop it if you feel it's safe to do so.
2. Find a friend to stand up to the bully with you.
3. Tell a teacher, counselor, assistant principal or principal. Get help from someone.
4. You can also report an incident of bullying that you see by using this form.

1. Cyberbullying has become a large problem. Be careful about what you post or say online. Don't share secrets, photos, or anything that may be embarrassing to you or someone else. You never know when someone may use it against you or forward it on to others. Also, be sure you know your privacy settings so you know who is seeing your account.

Every teacher, counselor, administrator, and staff member is ready to stop any bullying they see and help you with any bullying that may occur. You should tell someone as soon as the incident happens, or you may complete this form if it is more comfortable for you.

http://www.yourlifeiowa.org/

Iowa Department of Education bullying information

http://www.stopbullying.gov/