What can I do if my daughter's teacher is on the edge of verbally abusing students?
Full Question:
Answer:
In a verbally abusive situation, words are used to attack, control, and inflict harm on another person. Verbally abusive behavior goes far beyond mean behavior; it involves inflicting psychological violence on another person, attacking the essence of an individual's being and attempting to destroy his or her spirit.
A number of behaviors are considered verbally abusive, including, among others, angry outbursts, screaming rages, and name-calling. Verbal abuse often includes verbal putdowns, negative prediction, negative comparison, scapegoating, shaming, cursing and swearing, and threats.
Kansas school districts are required to adopt policies on bullying and provide training in preventing bullying for staff. Whether or not you should discuss the matter with the teacher or school administration is a matter of personal judgment, taking all the facts and circumstances into account.
The following is a Kansas statute:
72-8256. Bullying, school district policies.
(a) As used in this section:
(1) "Bullying" means:
(A) Any intentional gesture or any intentional
written, verbal or physical act or threat that is sufficiently severe,
persistent or pervasive that it creates an intimidating, threatening or
abusive educational environment for a student or staff member that a
reasonable person, under the circumstances, knows or should know will have
the effect of:
(i) Harming a student or staff member, whether physically or mentally;
(ii) damaging a student's or staff member's property;
(iii) placing a student or staff member in reasonable fear of harm to the
student or staff member; or
(iv) placing a student or staff member in reasonable fear of damage to
the student's or staff member's property; or
(B) any other form of intimidation or harassment prohibited by the board
of education of the school district in policies concerning bullying adopted
pursuant to this section or subsection (e) of K.S.A. 72-8205, and
amendments thereto.
(2) "School vehicle" means any school bus, school van, other school
vehicle and private vehicle used to transport students or staff members to
and from school or any school-sponsored activity or event.
(b) The board of education of each school district shall adopt a policy
to prohibit bullying on school property, in a school vehicle or at a
school-sponsored activity or event.
(c) The board of education of each school district shall adopt and
implement a plan to address bullying on school property, in a school
vehicle or at a school-sponsored activity or event. Such plan shall include
provisions for the training and education for staff members and students.
(d) The board of education of each school district may adopt additional
policies relating to bullying pursuant to subsection (e) of K.S.A. 72-8205,
and amendments thereto.
(e) The requirements of this section shall be implemented by school
districts on or before January 1, 2008.
