Board to review bullying policy tonight
- Share via
Deirdre Newman
NEWPORT-MESA -- The school board will consider approving a new rule at
its meeting tonight that will fight bullying.
Discussions about school violence started earlier this year after an
incident at Corona del Mar High School, where one student choked another
student, who then lost consciousness and hit his head.
The Newport-Mesa Unified School District organized a task force made
up of parents and school and district staff to discuss concerns about
violence and intimidation on campuses.
In March, the board revised the General Student Conduct policy to
include the district’s position that violence and intimidation will not
be tolerated on any campus or at any school activity. The policy was then
readopted.
Tonight, the board will consider adding its anti-bullying rule and
regulations to that same conduct policy. If it’s approved tonight, the
rule will return in two weeks for a second vote to make it official.
The new rule and regulations illustrate the district’s expectation
that staff react immediately and report incidents that are not fully
resolved. A thorough investigation will then take place. Consequences may
include counseling, a parent conference, detention, involuntary transfer,
suspension or expulsion.
A new task force was formed in May that also included students,
administrators and a psychologist. That task force worked for the past
few months to put some teeth into the preliminary language, including
response tactics, intervention and follow-up.
FYI
The Newport-Mesa Unified School District trustees will also review the
implementation of the Measure A School Facilities Improvement Program at
a study session at 6 p.m. today.
* Deirdre Newman covers education. She may be reached at (949)
574-4221 or by e-mail at o7 [email protected] .
All the latest on Orange County from Orange County.
Get our free TimesOC newsletter.
You may occasionally receive promotional content from the Daily Pilot.