Divine Child International School is committed to working with students and parents to provide a learning environment that is secure and supportive so that all individuals can develop academically and socially free from fear of ridicule, harassment or physical threat. We aim to create an environment where all members of the school community feel safe, respected and valued. All children have an absolute right to be protected from others who may wish to harm, degrade or abuse them. Bullying of any kind is unacceptable at our school.
Bullying is the deliberate intention to harm someone who does not have the power to stop it. Bullying, harassment or any form of discrimination, is immoral and can be unlawful because it interferes with the right of a person to feel safe and valued as a member of a community.
Bullying takes many forms. It can be:
Cyber bullying is causing hurt via modern technologies such as the Internet and other forms of social media, and through the use of smart phones and other mobile devices. It can, under certain conditions, be carried out with relative anonymity. Cyber bullying can be particularly damaging because of the capacity it has to humiliate, hurt and harm a person in front of a huge ‘audience’.
Examples of Cyber bullying:
Students need to remember that something sent electronically can never be entirely removed even with a press of the ‘delete’ button. The image may emerge at any stage in their future life and lead to serious consequences.
Using pseudonyms, passwords and avatars does not protect the identity of a cyber-bully. Technologies exist to identify those who misuse modern technologies to harm others.
How does DCIS discourage bullying?
Bullying is totally against the mission and purpose of DCIS. The School is committed to providing an educational environment in which students feel valued and secure. To achieve this end, the school seeks to create a school-wide culture that:
The methods used by the School to discourage bullying will vary from time-to-time, with new initiatives being introduced when thought appropriate. The measures that have been used to discourage bullying at DCIS include, but are not limited to:
What should you do if you are being bullied?
If you are being bullied, it is important that you talk to an adult who is in a position to help you. Some students may not want to report bullying because they feel it might only make matters worse. Again, this fear is understandable, but most teachers are trained in ways to help victims of bullying in a manner that protects the victim.
It can take courage to challenge the bully, to expose them for who they are and to play a part in improving our community by ridding it of bullying behaviour. DCIS expects its students to show this courage and not tolerate bullying as a bystander or as a victim. If you are being bullied, you must tell a responsible adult who has the capacity to help. options include:
If you are being bullied, you are encouraged to do the RITE thing:
R = RECOGNISE :you have the right to feel safe and to operate in an environment free of bullying.
I = INFORM :the bullies that you want them to stop. Do this in a polite but firm way.
T = TELL :a responsible adult about the bullying.
E = EVALUATE : the situation. If it does not improve, seek further help.
Reports of bullying will be investigated and acted upon. Responses to bullying might include support for targets of bullying and perpetrators and/or disciplinary measures. The teacher will intervene to stop the bullying. The teacher may conduct and complete a mediation contract or refer the situation to a Coordinator, HOD or Vice principal, Principal if serious
Intervention strategies include:
Post-intervention strategies include:
