The Prince George’s County school system has created an online bullying/harassment reporting form now available on its website (www.pgcps.org).
The form was established to “report alleged bullying harassment, or intimidation that occurred on school property; at a school-sponsored activity or event off school property; on a school bus; or on the way to and/or from school, in the current school year.”
Complaints can be filed by a student, the parent/guardian of student victims, a close adult relative of student victims, or a school staff member, to report an incident of alleged bullying, harassment, or intimidation.
After filling out the form, filers must return it to the Principal at the student victim’s school.
“I think that the bullying form is a good idea because it can calculate how many times bullying occurs in the schools,” Jacqueline Jacobs, Guidance Counselor at Riverdale Elementary, told the AFRO. “Prince George’s County is a data-driven school system.”
The Prince George’s County school website defines bullying, harassment, or intimidation as intentional conduct, including verbal, physical, or written conduct, or an intentional electronic communication, that “creates a hostile educational environment by substantially interfering with a student’s educational benefits, opportunities, or performance, or with a student’s physical or psychological well-being.”
According to the results of the first national survey on bullying, 30 percent of U.S. students in grades six through 10 are involved in moderate or frequent bullying—as bullies, as victims, or both.
“I think bullying is horrible,” 11th grade student Tyree Henson told the AFRO. “My best friend is actually being bullied. Bullying is bad because some people that have been bullied commit suicide or think about shooting people who bully them. I think bullying and cyber-bullying needs to stop because some people have a rough life and they get pushed to the edge and want to kill themselves.”
