ANTI-BULLYING

N.J.S.A 18A:37-14, as amended by P.L. 2010, c.122 section 11, defines “Harassment, Intimidation and Bullying” to include “any gesture, written, verbal or physical act, or any electronic communication, whether it be a single incident or a series of incidents, that is reasonably perceived as being motivated either by any actual or perceived characteristic, such as race, color, religion, ancestry, national origin, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity and expression, or a mental, physical or sensory disability, or by any other distinguishing characteristic, that takes place on school grounds, at any school-sponsored function, or on a school bus or off school grounds, in accordance with law, that substantially disrupts or interferes with the orderly operation of the school or the rights of other students that:

A reasonable person should know, under the circumstances, the effect of physically or emotionally harming a student or damaging the student’s property, or placing a student in reasonable fear or physical or emotional harm to his/her person or damage to his/her property; or

Insulting or demeaning any student or group of students; or

Creating a hostile education environment for the student by interfering with a student’s education or by severely or pervasively causing physical or emotional harm to the student. “Electronic communication means a communication that is transmitted by means of electronic device including, but not limited to telephone, cellular phone, computer or pager”