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Cyber Bullying and Harassment

As the result of HB 1465, introduced and passed during the 2011 North Dakota legislative session, every school must implement a bullying policy. Due to the uniqueness of NDCDE, the following is the policy, consequences and definition of cyber bulling. The NDCDE cyber bullying is relevant to students enrolled in the NDCDE’s diploma program. All other students are subject to their school of record’s bullying and cyber bulling policy. The policy was adopted 7/1/2013.

Cyber Bullying Defined

Cyber bullying is the use of electronic information and communication devices to willfully and repeatedly harm either a person or persons through the medium of electronic text, phones, or videos. Examples of this behavior include but are not limited to:

  • Sending false, cruel, or vicious messages.
  • Creating websites that have stories, cartoons, pictures, or jokes ridiculing others.
  • Breaking into an email account and sending vicious or embarrassing materials to others.
  • Engaging an individual in electronic communication, tricking that person to reveal personal information and forwarding that information to others.
  • Posting of an individual’s picture without their permission. 

The online activities and technologies often used by students engaged in cyber bulling include but are not limited to social networking sites, chat rooms and discussion groups, instant messaging, text messaging, computers, cell phones and personal digital cameras, cell phone cameras, and web cams. As new technologies emerge, they too may be included with the above forms of electronic communication. 

Steps to Report Cyber Bullying

For NDCDE students enrolled in the diploma program.

  1. Immediately contact a teacher/administrator at NDCDE
  2. Complete the cyber bullying form available on the NDCDE Forms Page
  3. Document the events by filling out the form completely
  4. Submit the form to NDCDE
  5. All other students must report any incident of bullying and are under the bullying policy of their school of records.

Link to Forms Page

Consequences of Cyber Bullying

  1. First Offense
    1. Suspension from NDCDE until phone conference
    2. Phone conference with student/parent or guardian (if applicable) /NDCDE academic advisor and NDCDE administration
    3. Student may be reinstated in courses after conference and with the discretion of the NDCDE administration
  2. Second Offense
    1. Immediate suspension from NDCDE courses
    2. No refund on classes.
    3. Student can no longer enroll in any NDCDE courses

Harassment Defined

Harassment: To annoy persistently; to create an unpleasant or hostile situation by uninvited and unwelcome verbal or physical contact. - Merriam-Webster dictionary.

Harassment covers a wide range of behaviors including language of an offensive nature and is commonly understood as behavior/language intended to disturb or upset another. Under no circumstance or situation will harassment of NDCDE staff or other students be tolerated.

Consequences of Harassment

  1. Phone conference with student/guardian or parent (if applicable)/ NDCDE academic advisor and NDCDE administration.
  2. Immediate suspension from NDCDE courses
    1. No refund on classes.
    2. Student can no longer enroll in any NDCDE courses