1.
causes physical or emotional harm to such student or damage to
such student’s property;
2.
places such student in reasonable fear of harm to himself or
herself,
or of damage to his or her property;
3. creates a hostile environment at school for such student;
4. infringes on the rights of such student at school; or
5.
B.
substantially disrupts the education process or the orderly
operation of a
school.
Bullying shall include, but not be limited to, a written, verbal or
electronic communication or physical act or gesture based on any actual
or perceived differentiating characteristics, such as race, color, religion,
ancestry, national origin, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity and
expression, socioeconomic status, academic status, physical appearance,
or mental, physical, developmental or sensory disability, or by
association with an individual or group who has or is perceived to have
one or more of such characteristics.
III. Other Definitions
A. "Cyberbullying" means any act of bullying through the use of the
Internet, interactive and digital technologies, cellular mobile telephone or
other mobile electronic devices or any electronic communications.
B. "Electronic communication" means any transfer of signs, signals,
writing, images, sounds, data or intelligence of any nature transmitted in
whole or in part by a wire, radio, electromagnetic, photo electronic or
photo-optical system;
C. "Hostil e environment" means a situation in which bullying among
students is sufficiently severe or pervasive to alter the conditions of the
school climate;
D. "Mobile electronic device" means any hand-held or other portable
electronic equipment capable of providing data communication between
two or more individuals, including, but not limited to, a text messaging
device, a paging device, a personal digital assistant, a laptop computer,
equipment that is capable of playing a video game or a digital video disk,
or equipment on which digital images are taken or transmitted;
E. "Outside of the school setting" means at a location, activity or program
that is not school related, or through the use of an electronic device or a
mobile electronic device that is not owned, leased or used by a local or
regional board of education;
F. "Prevention and intervention strategy" may include, but is not limited
to, (1) implementation of a positive behavioral interventions and supports
process or another evidence-based model approach for safe school
climate or for the prevention of bullying identified by the Department of
Education, (2) school rules prohibiting bullying, harassment and
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