To prevent the misidentification of bullying behaviors, it is important to understand that Education Code 48900(r) defines bullying as -- Any severe or pervasive physical or verbal act or conduct, including made in writing or by means of a reasonable pupil electronic act including one or more of the following:
Sex Harassment (48900.2)
Hate Violence (48900.3)
Threats, harassment, intimidation (48900.4)
Further, bullying includes one or more acts committed by a pupil or group of pupils, directed toward one or more pupils that has or can be reasonably predicted to have the effect of one or more of the following: (Education Code 48900 (r))
1. Placing a reasonable pupil or pupils in fear of harm to that pupil's or those pupils' person or property.
2. Causing a reasonable pupil or pupils to experience a substantially detrimental effect on his or her physical or mental health.
3. Causing a reasonable pupil or pupils to experience substantial interference with his or her academic performance.
4. Causing a reasonable pupil or pupils to experience substantial interference with his or her ability to participate in or benefit from the services, activities, or privileges provided by a school.
These acts can be reasonably perceived as being dehumanizing, intimidating, hostile, humiliating, threatening, or otherwise likely to evoke fear of physical harm or emotional distress and may be motivated either by bias or prejudice based upon any actual or perceived characteristic, such as race, religion, ancestry, national origin, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression; or a mental, physical or sensory disability or impairment; or by any other distinguishing characteristic.
