By Lori EhdeA "bullying prohibition policy" is now effect in Luverne Public Schools, which sounds serious, but here it’s just a formality to implement what’s already in place.The Luverne School Board is responding to legislation that requires all Minnesota school districts to implement an anti-bullying policy.The theory is that the Columbine, Colo., and Ricori school killings may not have happened had those districts recognized early on that the shooters themselves had been marginalized by bullying."It’s very relevant and important," Superintendent Vince Schaefer told board members at their March 25 meeting. "It sends the message that bullying or related behavior won’t be tolerated."The policy is available for public viewing at the district office, but the purpose is essentially to help school staff ensure a safe learning environment for students."Bullying, like other violent behavior, is conduct that interferes with students’ ability to learn and teachers’ ability to educate students …" the policy reads.The policy defines bullying as "any written or verbal expression, physical act or gesture or pattern thereof by a student that is intended to cause or is perceived as causing distress to one or more students and which substantially interferes with another student’s or students’ educational benefits, opportunities or performance."According to the policy, bullying includes, oharming a student, odamaging a student’s property, oplacing a student in fear of harm to his or her person or property, or ocreating a hostile educational environment for a student.The policy also outlines consequences and proper reporting procedures for bullying.According to High School Principal Gary Fisher, having the policy in place won’t prevent bullying. Rather, it will be a tool by which teachers and staff can measure potential bullying behavior and get involved early."It gives us a process to deal with the students and come up with discipline and consequences," Fisher said. "What I look at is if you’re doing things to make kids feel bad, then you’re a bully."He said he further defines bullying as behavior that tends to single out one or two students."When I talk to the kids about bullying, I refer to the chickens in the hen house," he said. "One will come along and a pull a feather out of a chicken, then some more will come along and do the same thing, and pretty soon all the chickens are pulling feathers out of one bird."He said students in Luverne, through special assemblies such as CLIMB Theatre, are taught to intervene when bullying starts, to prevent it from getting worse.Fisher said Luverne has been working on preventing bullying, but it’s still an issue worth addressing."Do we have a lot of bullying? We do have some things going on, but is it widespread? Not really," Fisher said."Policies are only as good as they’re enforced."Fisher said he’s been encouraged to see parents of high school and middle school students getting more involved in curbing bullying.For example, if students mention problems of possible bullying to their parents, it’s helpful if school staff can be alerted."If you don’t know about a problem, it’s hard for us to deal with a problem," Fisher said.
