Anti-Cyber Bullying Policy

Dubai National School is committed to providing a healthy, safe, and positive learning environment for its students. The school provides modern technological devices and facilities to enhance students’ learning experience and is mindful of the potential misuse of these devices and facilities. The school recognizes the negative impact that bullying has on the learning environment, which creates an atmosphere of fear and intimidation, detracting from the safe environment necessary for student learning.

Definition of Cyber-Bullying

Cyber-bullying is an aggressive, intentional act carried out by a group or individual using electronic forms of contact repeatedly over time against a victim who cannot easily defend themselves.

By cyber-bullying, we mean bullying by electronic media:

Bullying by texts, messages, or calls on mobile phones and other electronic devices.
The use of mobile phone cameras to cause distress, fear, or humiliation.
Posting threatening, abusive, defamatory, or humiliating material on websites, including blogs, personal websites, and social networking sites.
Using e-mail to message others.
Hijacking/cloning e-mail accounts, stealing someone’s identity to harm them in some way.
Making threatening, abusive, defamatory, or humiliating remarks in chat rooms and social networking sites.
Using modern technologies to engage in the social exclusion of someone or in hate group recruitment.
Engaging in cyber-stalking and invading privacy.
Referring to your school in a negative or disparaging way on the internet.

Basic Rules to Follow

Any student who uses a school-provided communication device (including a computer) or computer network:

With the intent to intimidate, harass, or pressure another person,
To use vulgar, obscene, profane, lewd, or foul language to communicate such harassment, or
To threaten an illegal or immoral act, shall be subject to school disciplinary procedures.

Any student who uses a personal communication device on school grounds or at a school-related premises:

With the intent to intimidate, harass, or pressure another person,
To use vulgar, obscene, profane, lewd, or foul language to communicate such harassment, or
To threaten an illegal or immoral act, shall be subject to school disciplinary procedures.

In any instance where cyber-bullying creates a climate of fear and/or causes a substantial disruption of the work of the school or impinges on the rights of other students, the person committing the act shall be subject to school disciplinary proceedings.

Role of Students

If you believe you or someone else is the victim of cyber-bullying, you must speak to an adult as soon as possible. This person could be a parent/guardian, your teacher, your school supervisor, or school guidance counsellor.

Do not answer abusive messages but log and report them.
Do not delete anything until it has been shown to your teacher/supervisor/counsellor or parents/guardian (even if it is upsetting, the material is important evidence which may need to be used later as proof of cyber-bullying).
Do not give out personal IT details.
Never reply to abusive e-mails.
Never reply to someone you do not know.

Role of Parents

It is important that parents and the school work together to ensure that all students are aware of the serious consequences of getting involved in anything that might be seen as cyber-bullying.

Parents can help by ensuring their child understands the school’s policy and, above all, how seriously the school takes incidents of cyber-bullying.
Parents should also explain to their sons and daughters the legal issues relating to cyber-bullying.
If parents believe their child is the victim of cyber-bullying, they should save the offending material (if necessary by saving an offensive text on their or their child’s mobile phone) and ensure they have all relevant information before deleting anything.
Parents should contact the school as soon as possible. A meeting can then be arranged with the section supervisor/guidance counsellor.

Dubai National School reserves the right to take action against bullying perpetrated outside the school which spills over into the school.

What Happens Once You Have Reported?

A member of staff will talk to you the same day and will take your statement. The incident will be logged, and an investigation will take place. This will usually involve your section supervisor/guidance counsellor talking separately to the bully/bullies and any witnesses. Actions will be taken at the end of the investigation.

Complaint Procedure

Step 1 – Reporting

A student who believes they have been subject to cyber-bullying is encouraged to immediately report the incident to the section supervisor/guidance counsellor.

Step 2 – Investigation

Upon receiving a complaint, the section supervisor/guidance counsellor shall take immediate and appropriate action to investigate the complaint or otherwise determine what occurred. The investigation should consist of individual interviews with the complainant, the accused, and others with knowledge relative to the incident. The investigator may also evaluate any other information and materials relevant to the investigation.

Step 3 – Investigative Report

The section supervisor/guidance counsellor shall prepare a written report, which shall include a summary of the investigation, a determination of whether the complaint has been substantiated as factual and whether it is a violation of this policy, and a recommended disposition of the complaint.

Step 4 – School Action

If the investigation determines that the accused engaged in conduct that constitutes a violation of this policy, the school shall take prompt and effective steps reasonably calculated to end the bullying, eliminate any hostile environment and its effects, and prevent the bullying from recurring.

If the allegations are confirmed, the section supervisor/guidance counsellor shall:

Inform the student(s) found to have violated this policy and their parents/guardians of the results of the investigation, including the actions of the student and the consequences for their actions.
Administer the consequences for the behaviour relative to the number of offenses and the severity of the behaviour.

A student who violates this policy, or who intentionally makes a false report or complaint, shall be subject to appropriate disciplinary action consistent with the Student’s Code of Conduct.