A Shared Responsibility Model in Bullying Prevention

All parents want their children healthy and safe in our schools.  In Pittsburgh Public Schools community, we share the vision and responsibility of ensuring that our schools are orderly, that peer to peer interactions are healthy, that problem behaviors are reported and addressed promptly using our policies and procedures, and that our teaching and learning environments are positive and nurturing.  

Through the vision of a shared responsibility model, each and every parent, child, school professional, community partner, and school volunteer has a role to play in making sure that our school environments and activities are respectful and welcoming.

Over the last decade, one behavior that has gripped the attention of school boards, law enforcement officials, parents and so many others across America is bullying.  

Bullying is defined as intentional, aggressive behavior[s] that may be verbal, physical, written or electronic, aimed at another student or students, for the purpose of creating fear or intimidation by harming physically, mentally or emotionally.  It may be direct or indirect, with face-to-face interactions or by spreading rumors, sharing inappropriate pictures or demeaning a student using social media.   

Bullying does unfortunately occur in our schools, but there are steps we are taking to curb its existence in Pittsburgh Public Schools.

District Policies & Procedures around Bullying

All school districts in Pennsylvania are required to have a policy prohibiting bullying according to Section 1303.1-A of the Public School Code.  Existing policies must be reviewed every three years and integrated into the Code of Student Conduct.  While Pittsburgh Public Schools has been in compliance with state law, we determined a need to make our district-wide process more comprehensive, empowering and informative throughout our schools. 

In addition, every Pittsburgh Public School has a Student Assistance Team Coordinator that is available to provide information on prevention programming and support services.  The Student Assistance Team can receive and process referrals for any students who may be victims or perpetrators of bullying.  In addition, the Pittsburgh Public Schools Compliance Officer for bullying/harassment is available to provide information, answer questions or assist with resolving problems with bullying. 

A Teacher’s Guide to Understanding, Preventing and Responding to Bullying

During the 2011-2012 school year, school social workers, counselors, and nurses worked with central office staff to assemble a guide for teachers that would enhance their understanding of bullying, heighten awareness of our updated policy and practices, outline a teacher’s role in preventing and responding to bullying, and demonstrate where and how to integrate lessons about bullying prevention into our curriculum.  In November of 2012, Pittsburgh Public Schools launched A Teacher’s Guide to Understanding, Preventing and Responding to Bullying, which was presented at all Pittsburgh Public Schools during a training session for teachers.

All Pittsburgh Public School Student Assistance Program service providers were informed of our district-wide efforts towards preventing and responding to bullying, and received copies of the Teacher’s Guide for their respective staff.  SAP service providers have been valuable partners in this work for over twenty-five years.  As we improve our practices, and given that they are present in all of our schools, they are available to Student Services staff and teachers for assisting with classroom prevention lessons and skill-building groups.  

In an effort to keep our work on the radar and very visual, school posters were also provided to all schools about preventing and stopping bullying.  Those posters are found in classrooms and hallways as a constant reminder of what teachers will say and do, as well as what students should say and do in the event of a bullying incident. 

Harassment