ESN’s plan of action to

promote fair & equal treatment

 Introduction regarding ESN’s commitment to this endeavour.  School policy, School rules, Social & emotional intelligence training in curriculum, ABC, Friends-reps.

 Identification of conflicts occurring at school

According to the law (2006:67), any acts of discrimination, harassment or other acts of intimidation of a child or student are forbidden.  This refers to unfair treatment on grounds of any of the following:

1.     gender,

2.     ethnicity,

3.     religion or other belief system,

4.     sexual orientation, and/ or

5.     handicap.

 A plan of action has been put in place for any of the above violations.  However, it is important to specify the type of conflict situation that has occurred at school.  This will determine which course of action is appropriate, as well as whose responsibility it is to implement the plan of action. 

 The following definitions are that which we follow to assess which is the suitable intervention. 

 Definitions:

 Conflicts Intimidation, Harassment, and Bullying

 Conflicts

There is a marked difference between a conflict situation and either a bullying or harassment situation.  Conflicts are usually direct confrontations between two or more individuals in a specific situation.  This conflict is usually a disagreement over a situation and is marked mostly by verbal confrontations but also can be accompanied by physical confrontations as well.  These situations can usually be sorted out by school personnel or by the individuals themselves with no further incidents occurring after the original conflict.  It is important that staff members intervene in conflicts and come to a mutually agreed settlement so that the conflict does not grow into a larger more serious situation.  A the same time even though a conflict is situational and usually resolved immediately,  acts of harassment or discrimination can occur during that conflict and it is important for the staff to be aware of all the details and appropriate action be taken in accordance with the schools guidelines, if there is any  harassing or discriminatory behavior that has taken place during the conflict.

 Acts of intimidation

The dictionary definition of intimidation is “To coerce or inhibit (an individual) by or as if by threats” and applies in our school.  No individual should be allowed to inhibit threaten another member of our school.  Intimidation can take the following forms: student to student; student to teacher; and teacher to student intimidation.

 Discrimination

Discrimination is when there is unfair treatment of a person based on a negative or hostile attitude towards a group they belong to. It is not just a thought or attitude (prejudice) but its expression in behaviour, action or outcome.

 Harassment

Harassment is defined as “To irritate or torment persistently”.  This can be physical and/or physiological.  Harassment falls directly under the title of ‘Bullying’ and will be dealt with according to the school guidelines concerning ‘Bullying’

 Bullying

Bullying at school is when one or several students repeatedly and systematically harass another student physically, psychologically or both during a specific period of time.  The time period can be a few weeks but it is often months or occasionally years.  Individual incidents of harassment are not classified as bullying.  Bullying most often takes place within a student’s class.

Source: “Mobbing i Skolan by Karl Ljungström

 Using these definitions as a starting point ESN has instituted the following plan to combat Bully as well as discrimination, harassment and intimidation that occurs during conflict situations at our school

ESN’s Preventative plan to promote fair & equal treatment

 Prevention

 Student Education

1.       Invite special speakers to increase awareness regarding 5 grounds for discrimination including speakers from within school community ie nurse, counsellor (school)

2.       Social & emotional intelligence training /Health & Values (responsible teachers)

3.       Educate students about law (SO)

4.       Educate and train friends-reps – student action  (ABC- Friends supporters)

 Staff Education

1.     Incorporate aspects of law into current syllabus for Social & emotional intelligence training (Vice-principal - pedagogics)

2.     ABC to educate regarding new law, process of reporting bullying, forms etc.  Set up agenda for staff training on a calendar at beginning of year. (ABC)

3.     Have an up-to-date staff package regarding this new law (Principal in consultation with ABC)

4.     Continued staff education agenda to be focused on training to do with ‘Constructive conflict solving’, Classroom management (Principal)

 Parent Information & Education

1.     Package regarding ESN’s plan of action to promote fair and equal treatment (Principal)

2.     Booklet for parents about Anti-bullying Committee (ABC)

 Other preventative activities:

1.       Buddy system

2.       Integrate parallel classes as often as possible during whole school events

Intervention

When incidents occur and in order to prevent any forms of discrimination, harassment or intimidation as well as to document and intervene when these situations occur, the following plan will be enacted to ensure that all members of the ESN community can attend and work our school without the fear of being improperly treated.  An active and engaged staff, student body and parents is crucial for any plan to function.  The following plan is designed to identify and stop any cases of discrimination, harassment, intimidation and overall bullying that should appear at ESN.

 Early and prompt intervention by all staff

1.     If any conflict is seen by an adult in the school, that adult should stop the incident and discuss it immediately with the students involved.  The adult may be a teacher or other member of the staff. If an incident is reported by a student it should be discussed with the students involved as soon as possible.  Staff should also make a preliminary judgment as to whether any harassing or discrimination incidents have take place during the conflict.

If an incident is not solved on the spot or the staff suspects that the conflict is more serious than just the current incident a note should be put in the school counsellor’s box. 

 Early and prompt intervention by parents

2.     Parents must be alert as to how their child is feeling about his/her relationships with classmates, and report problems to their child’s class teacher or any staff member.

 Further Intervention for incidents not resolved

3.     If the same students are involved in repeated incidents or if a particular incident is considered serious, parents are asked to please contact the school counsellor.

 Should an incident be deemed serious and beyond the scope of an individual staff member then the ABC team and/or school administration will be called upon to intervene.

 - by Anti-bullying Committee

 In bullying situations, the following process, according to the Farsta method, will then take place:

Bullying Intervention plan

1.                 When a bullying situation is detected, a written report (see attached form) will be made to ESN’s Anti-Bullying Committee (ABC). 

Please note committee members for 2006/07 who work specifically in sub-teams according to age level.  That is, K -3 /fritids team, 4- 6 team, 7 -9 team.

2.                 A member of the ABC will investigate this situation by speaking with relevant students, witnesses, and/or staff members who have reported the situation.

3.                 This ABC member will speak directly with relevant students involved in the bullying situation within 2 days of the report being made.  This meeting will take place without pre-warning for the students.  An agreement regarding behaviour will be made and/or relevant consequence/s is/are put into place.

4.                 A follow-up discussion with relevant students will be made after 2 days, and again after 2 weeks.  This is to ensure that the set agreement has worked. 

5.                 If the problem persists after this intervention or is deemed in the first instance as a serious bullying situation:

5.1.          The principal will be informed, and be involved in further intervention.

5.2.          The situation will be taken up by the Student Care Team which includes, among others, the principal, nurse, school counsellor, special education team.  A plan of action regarding further intervention will be made.  Parents will be involved at this stage.

5.3.           Social authorities may be invited to intervene if the school cannot solve the problem.

 - by ESN administration for ‘Other acts of intimidation’

According to law 2006:67 any acts of discrimination, harassment or intimidation are forbidden.  To better clarify the procedure for repeated bullying or acts of discrimination, harassment or intimidation the following plan will be implemented when a student or staff member violates this provision.

In serious conflict situations which are not handled by Anti-bullying Committee or are repeated violations of school policy, and/or the school deems to be acts of intimidation or discrimination, the school will take the following actions:

1.     If an incident occurs that is deemed by anyone as an act of harassment, discrimination or intimidation that incident will be reported to the school administration in written form (see attached form) if the staff deems that this is a bullying case it is to be reported to the ABC Committee as well.

2.     Once the incident is received:

A. School administration will then contact the Anti-Bullying-Group to see if there is an active case concerning the student involved in the incident and confer with them.

or

B. If the incident involves teacher to student harassment, discrimination or intimidation, the school administration will take direct contact with the staff member.

 School administration will then:

A. If a student is involved in an incident, the school administration will then determine if the actions taken by the ABC group are sufficient to rectify the situation, if not, and the incident is deemed serious, the students parents will be contacted concerning the situation.  This will be noted in the incident case file.

B. If a teacher is involved the discussion will center on the incident and how the staff member can correct the inappropriate behavior and how to avoid situations like this in the future. 

  A plan of action will be written and agreed to by all participants in the incidents.  Follow-ups will be done 2 days, 2-weeks and then 4-weeks after the incident.  School administration is responsible for this follow-up.

 Our counselor Ms Lee may be consulted for grades K-9.  She will be available for conflict solving so that bullying does not have a chance to develop. Parents please call 08/441 85 84.  If there is no answer, please call the office to leave a message and a note will be written so you will be called back. Ms Lee will be at school every day.