Bullying Worksheet4: Evaluating existing public policies

Date: 10/11/06 Group Members: Chukwukere, L. Jackson, D. R. T. Almonte,

M. Fiferoa, B. Gonzalez, P. Huggins,

Your problem (phrase):

Bullying in PS 208

State one of the major existing policies that attempts to deal with the social problem:

In school suspensions for excessive intimidating bullying behavior is a level four offence according to the NYC BOE Discipline and Intervention Measures.

What are the advantages of this policy (consider effectiveness, costs, enforcement, public acceptance):

It seems easy to enforce. It doesn't require authority beyond the principals approval. It is totally an in house administrative decision.

What are the disadvantages of this policy (consider the effectiveness, costs, enforcement, public acceptance):

First stage classroom removals are not effectively successful deterrents to bullying behavior. Students who are offenders and should be in a safe room are frequently removed to another classroom (as this level of consequences). Therefore the behavior is not perceived as sufficiently undesirable. The effect on those being bullied can produce long-term significant undesirable reactions from students. The victims of bullying are exposed for far too long.

Based on your evaluation of the advantages and disadvantages, should the current policy be totally replaced, strengthened, or improved? What advantages, if any, from the current policy should be retained? What disadvantages, if any, should be eliminated?

There should be fewer stages of intervention before severe and effective measures are enforced. In other words, there should be a zero tolerance for bullying. Actually Bullying, is regarded as a level four (4) behavior offence according to the NYC Discipline Code. To get to level five there are even more stages of intervention before a more severe consequence can be enforced.

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