MSAD 27 to "put some teeth" into its bullying policy

MSAD 27 - Administrators and teachers are calling it the No Touch Policy.

NOT JOKING - MSAD 27 has implemented a No Touch Policy to deal with a rash of bullying, especially at the Fort Kent Elementary School.  The district is revamping the district policies regarding bullying in order to

In general, the policy is in place to discourage aggressive physical contact.

MSAD 27 Superintendent Patrick O'Neill said the policy is not meant as a restrictive rule that absolutely keeps students from coming into contact.  Students will still come in contact during sports.  He said, "By the No Touch Policy, they don't want kids to aggressively touch.  If it's overextended, the teacher has the right to intervene and tell them it crossed the line."

FKES Principle Gary Stevens said the policy applies to any kind of touch.  He said, "We are treating it all the same way."  If a teacher witnesses any kind of touch, he or she will use their judgement to determine if it constitutes a "hit" or aggressive touching.  Stevens said, "There's some human judgement involved."

Stevens indicated that early results with the policy have been positive.  He said that teachers have sent some students to his office.  He said, "I think they know we are steadfast in belief in being a school where touching is not going to occur."

He said the restriction on any sort of touching is necessary because it is difficult for a teacher to determine whether a tap on the back while two students pass each other in the hall constitutes being friendly or being aggressive.

O'Neill said parents have been complaining about bullying to the school board.  He said, "The board has heard enough complaints in the last several months that we are going to revisit our policy and put some teeth into it, up to and including having the child go before the board with his or her parents to explain their actions."

O'Neill said the problem is not just a local problem, but that most schools across the nation are facing the issue of bullying.

The district has hired a consultant to provide training to teachers and faculty to help them identify and intervene when bullying occurs.

O'Neill said, "The policies are really in place. What we haven't done is training the teachers."

He said that the district must address a recent rise in incidents of bullying.  "In the last year, especially at FKES, it seemed there was an escalation."

Students filled out a survey at FKES/Valley Rivers Middle School regarding bullying, but school officials have not made the results available.

So far, said O'Neill, the students seem to be receptive to the No Touch Policy.

Other changes include adding more teachers to monitor students during recess.

He said that in the near future the teachers will learn strategies to deal with possible bullying.  "Most of it is just commonsense stuff, and we just need to refocus them."

"The bottom line," said O'Neill, "is good citizenship.  We have to learn to get along with each other and we have to respect each others' differences."

MORE THAN PHYSICAL PAIN - Bullying includes many types of behavior, not just physical aggression. O'Neill calls cyber bullying a different beast all together.

The superintendent said the world is different, and the new policy must address many issues beyond just physical bullying.  O'Neill said, "Cyber bullying is a different beast all together."

O'Neill said there is a subcommittee revamping the current bullying policy, which board members should see in a few months.

He said that the district must "...come together as a community to eliminate all bullying."