Schools revise anti-bullying policy

NEW MILFORD — The school district aims to implement more consistent rules around bullying in the wake of complaints from dozens of parents who said their children are being repeatedly and severely harassed in-and-out of the classroom.

Changes to the district’s bullying policy are needed because schools across Connecticut have seen an increase in “mean behavior” among students over the last two years, Superintendent of Schools Janet Parlato said.

“That’s not only a New Milford thing,” said Parlato, adding the “mean behavior” can range from teasing and namecalling to bullying.

More than a dozen local parents described to the education board at a Feb. 21 meeting how their children have faced verbal abuse, cyberbullying and physical altercations, and demanded the district better prevent the incidents and discipline perpetrators.

Parlato, who started her job as New Milford superintendent on Feb. 21, said the district has been working to revise the schools’ Safe School Climate Plan and bullying policy since the start of the 2022-23 school year “to make sure that we have the best climate for students across all our schools.”

This work was the focus of the school board’s March 6 policy subcommittee meeting, where two mothers with children enrolled at Schaghticoke Middle School said their children were afraid to go to school as a result of emotional and physical bullying. One student shared their experience as a victim of bullying and said they suffered panic attacks as a result. Another student said they had seen the bullying get out of control at school and there should be consequences to bullying.

Parlato said the subcommittee looks to adopt a policy “that aligns more clearly and specifically with state statute and also provides consistent regulations for use across the school district.” She said the revised policy will also provide more information to students about bullying, such as definitions for bullying behaviors and what needs to happen once a teacher or administrator is made aware of a bullying incident.

The revised policy will be presented at the school board meeting at 7 p.m. March 21.

Parlato said the policy subcommittee will provide an explanation to the district’s administration, faculty, families and students about what the policy means and how the policy will be implemented in the schools. She said the district plans to hold a virtual Q&A session where she will review the policy and answer any questions parents may have about the policy.

Existing policy

The district’s Safe School Climate Plan and bullying policy was adopted in November 2011. The policy was revised in October 2014, and then again in August 2021. The policy can be found on the New Milford schools website, www.newmilfordps.org, under “Safe School District Climate” on the website’s “District Information” tab.

The purpose of the district’s bullying policy is to address the existence of bullying in schools and teen dating violence and to establish the district’s Safe School Climate Plan.

The Safe School Climate Plan clarifies the legal mandates regarding the district’s response to bullying in the schools. In addition to taking action in response to “verified acts of bullying” and training school staff to prevent, identify and respond to bullying, the plan includes establishing a School Safe Climate Committee to develop and foster a safe school climate and address issues related to bullying.

New Milford has an existing district-wide Safe School Climate Committee comprised of 13 administrators, principals, teachers social workers and community partners in the district.

Bullying is defined in the district’s policy as “an act that is direct or indirect and severe, persistent or pervasive which (A) causes physical or emotional harm to an individual, (B) places an individual in reasonable fear of physical or emotional harm or (C) infringes on the rights or opportunities of an individual at school.”

The district’s policy states bullying is prohibited on school grounds; at school-sponsored or school-related activities, functions or programs (whether on and off school grounds); at school bus stops; on school buses or other vehicles owned, leased or used by a local or regional school board; or through electric devices or electronic mobile devices owned, leased or used by the local or regional school board.

The policy states bullying is also prohibited outside of school if such bullying results in creating a hostile environment at school for the student; infringing the students’ rights; or “substantially disrupts the education process or the orderly operation of a school.”

Any student who engages in bullying as defined by the policy may be subject to discipline, up to and including expulsion, while any school employee that fails to respond to bullying and the district’s Safe School Climate Plan may be subject to discipline, up to and including termination.