Bullying & Harassment

Wayne Local Schools strives to create a safe, positive, productive, and nurturing educational environment for all students and takes reports of bullying, harassment, or intimidation very seriously.

Harassment, intimidation, or bullying toward a student, whether by other students, staff, or third parties is strictly prohibited and will not be tolerated. This prohibition includes aggressive behavior, physical, verbal, and psychological abuse, and violence within a dating relationship. Any gestures, comments, threats, or actions which cause or threaten to cause bodily harm or personal degradation. This policy applies to all activities in the District, including activities on school property, on a school bus, or while enroute to or from school, and those occurring off school property if the student or employee is at any school-sponsored, school- approved or school-related activity or function, such as field trips or athletic events where students are under the school's control, in a school vehicle, or where an employee is engaged in school business.

Harassment, intimidation, or bullying means:

any intentional written, verbal, electronic, or physical act that a student or group of students exhibits toward another particular student(s) more than once and the behavior both causes mental or physical harm to the other student(s) and is sufficiently severe, persistent, or pervasive that it creates an intimidating, threatening, or abusive educational environment for the other student(s); or
violence within a dating relationship.

Electronic act means an act committed through the use of a cellular telephone, computer, pager, personal communication device, or other electronic communication device.

Aggressive behavior is defined as inappropriate conduct that is repeated enough, or serious enough, to negatively impact a student's educational, physical, or emotional well being. This type of behavior is a form of intimidation and harassment, although it need not be based on any of the legally protected characteristics, such as sex, race, color, national origin, marital status, or disability. It would include, but not be limited to, such behaviors as stalking, bullying/cyberbullying, intimidating, menacing, coercion, name calling, taunting, making threats, and hazing.

Harassment, intimidation, or bullying also means cyberbullying through electronically transmitted acts (i.e., internet, e-mail, cellular telephone, personal digital assistance (PDA), or wireless hand-held device) that a student(s) or a group of students exhibits toward another particular student(s) more than once and the behavior both causes mental and physical harm to the other student and is sufficiently severe, persistent, or pervasive that it creates an intimidating, threatening, or abusive educational environment for the other student(s).

Any student or student's parent/guardian who believes s/he has been or is the victim of aggressive behavior should immediately report the situation to the Building Principal or assistant principal. The student may also report concerns to teachers and other school staff who will be responsible for notifying the appropriate administrator or Board official.

To report bullying: call 844-723-3764, download the Safer Ohio School Tip Line app, or use the online webform

The tip line is an anonymous reporting system that accepts tips via call, text, webform, and mobile app 24 hours-a-day. Anyone can download the Safer Ohio School Tip Line app or use the webform.

Things to report to the tip line include (but are not limited to):

Bullying incidents;
Withdrawn student behaviors;
Verbal or written threats observed toward students, faculty or schools;
Hazing;
Weapon/suspicious devices on or near school grounds;
Gang-related activities;
Unusual/suspicious behavior of students or staff;
Self-harm or suicidal sentiments; and
Any other school safety-related concerns.

Every tip can remain anonymous. Tip line technicians may ask for additional information, but the caller can remain anonymous or leave his or her contact information for later follow-up.

Tips submitted to 844-SaferOH (844-723-3764) are triaged and notify local school officials, law enforcement agencies, and the Ohio School Safety Center (OSSC) for action and follow-up as needed.

The OSSC partners with the Ohio Department of Education to follow up with affected school and law enforcement agencies to make sure that the incident is investigated, action is taken and resources and supports are provided when necessary.

Wayne Local Schools Anti-Bullying Resources:

Policy 5517.01 Bullying and Other Forms of Aggressive Behavior