Portledge School is committed to providing a safe, positive learning environment and to maintaining an atmosphere in which all members of our community are treated with respect and dignity. Harassment and bullying undermine these objectives and are grounds for disciplinary action, which could include expulsion of students.
Portledge School will not tolerate conduct by any student who harasses, disrupts, or interferes with another’s performance in school or who contributes to creating an intimidating, offensive, or hostile school environment. Such conduct includes, but is not limited to: hazing that appears to be part of an effort to exclude an individual from a group, all forms of cyber-bullying, remarks, rumors, threats, gestures, physical contact, the display or transmission of images, written, verbal or electronic statements or other acts that are unwelcome or demeaning with respect to appearance, gender, race, religion, ethnic origin, sexual orientation, age, national origin, color, weight, disability or other handicap.
At its discretion, the Administration also may follow up on incidents of harassment or bullying that occur off campus (e.g. on buses or via telephone or emails from home).
Any student who feels he or she has been the subject of harassment, bullying, or retaliation (or believes he or she has observed another being subjected to such harassment, bullying, or retaliation) should immediately report the matter to a teacher who in turn must inform the appropriate Division Head. When deemed appropriate, the Division Head will inform the Head of School who will set in motion an investigation that will be conducted protecting as much as possible the privacy of the individuals involved. Parents or guardians of the alleged offender(s) and the victim(s) will be informed as part of such an investigation. The investigation will be followed with appropriate remedial and disciplinary action, up to and including expulsion of a student determined to have engaged in any type of harassment. In certain instances, if deemed appropriate by the Administration, authorities outside of the school community (i.e., the police) may be contacted for purposes of further investigation.
Portledge School will make every attempt to protect reporting individuals from retaliation or any other detrimental impact on their involvement with the School, as long as the report was made in good faith.
Teachers are expected to discuss this policy with their students in age-appropriate ways. The students should be assured that they need not endure any form of bullying, and it must be made clear to whom they should report any concerns or complaints.