Bullying Prevention
Student Support Services
Department Address
2221 Argonne Ave
Long Beach, CA 90815
Department Phone
(562) 986-6870 x.242
Bullying & Harassment Prevention in LBUSD
Long Beach Unified School District believes that all students have a right to a safe, supportive and healthy school environment free from bullying and harassment. The district is committed to promote mutual respect, tolerance, and acceptance within our school system by implementing bullying prevention procedures that encourage students to be kind, respectful and supportive with one another. Anti-bullying and conflict resolution resources are provided and easily accessible to all students, staff and parents/caregivers.
The State of California defines bullying as follows:
"Bullying" means any severe or pervasive physical or verbal act or conduct, including communications made in writing or by means of an electronic act, and including one or more acts committed by a pupil or group of pupils as defined in Section 48900.2, 48900.3, or 48900.4, directed toward one or more pupils that has or can be reasonably predicted to have the effect of one or more of the following:
- Placing a reasonable pupil or pupils in fear of harm to that pupil's or those pupils' person or property.
- Causing a reasonable pupil to experience a substantially detrimental effect on the pupil's physical or mental health.
- Causing a reasonable pupil to experience substantial interference with the pupil's academic performance.
- Causing a reasonable pupil to experience substantial interference with the pupil's ability to participate in or benefit from the services, activities, or privileges provided by a school.
Bullying is unwanted, harassment, intimidation, a hazing or initiation activity, ridicule, extortion, or any other verbal, written, electronic communication, or physical conduct, repeated over time, that causes or threatens to cause bodily harm or emotional suffering, creates a hostile learning environment, or disrupts the normal operation of a school, classroom, or school related activity. The behavior is repeated over time. Bullying behavior includes:
- An Imbalance of Power: Kids who bully use their power—such as physical strength, access to embarrassing information, or popularity—to control or harm others. Power imbalances can change over time and in different situations, even if they involve the same people.
- Repetition: Bullying behaviors are pervasive, that is , the bullying acts happen more than once over time.
- Bullying includes actions such as making threats, spreading rumors, attacking someone physically or verbally, ridiculing and excluding someone from a group on purpose.
How You Should Respond to Bullying Behavior:
How You Should Respond to Bullying Behavior:
- If you or someone you know has been a victim of suspected bullying, report these instances to a teacher, counselor, school administrator, or other trusted adult as soon as possible.
- If you experience bullying, some immediate steps you can take include walking away or telling the aggressor to stop in a firm, but calm way.
- If you witness bullying behavior, be more than just a bystander. Only intervene if it is safe to do so. Peer- to-Peer early intervention is proven to be effective in reducing bullying.
- In a moment of bullying, a safe way someone can help the person being bullied can include creating a distraction to help focus the attention on something else.
- If you are the target of cyberbullying:
- Save evidence by taking screen shots or keeping copies of bullying texts, emails, or other communications
- Don’t respond! Tell a teacher, counselor, supervisor, school administrator, or other trusted adult as soon as possible
- Block the aggressors from your social media, email, or other social networking pages
Students who engage in bullying/cyberbullying on campus, traveling to or from school, at school activities, or in a manner otherwise related to school attendance, may be subject to disciplinary procedures. A student may be subject to disciplinary action for off-campus expressions (including via electronic means), when such expressions are obscene, libelous, or slanderous, or when such expression poses a threat to the safety of other students, staff or school property, or disrupts the educational program. Education Codes 32261(f) (g), 48900, 48900.2, 48900.3, 48900.4, 48910, 48911, 48915, 48915.5, 48918, 48918.5
For more information on bullying, please see the resources on this web page.
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Types of Bullying
There are different types of bullying:
- Verbal bullying is saying or writing mean things. Verbal bullying includes:
- Teasing
- Name-calling
- Inappropriate sexual comments
- Taunting
- Threatening to cause harm
- Social bullying, sometimes referred to as relational bullying, involves hurting someone’s reputation or relationships. Social bullying includes:
- Leaving someone out on purpose
- Telling other children not to be friends with someone
- Spreading rumors about someone
- Embarrassing someone in public
- Physical bullying involves hurting a person’s body or possessions. Physical bullying includes:
- Hitting/kicking/pinching
- Spitting
- Tripping/pushing
- Taking or breaking someone’s things
- Making mean or rude hand gestures
- Throwing things at someone
- Cyberbullying is bullying that takes place over digital devices like cell phones, computers, and tablets.
- Cyberbullying can occur through emailing, texting or messaging online through social media, forums, or gaming where people can view, participate in, or share content.
- Cyberbullying includes sending, posting, or sharing negative, harmful, false, or mean content about someone else.
- It can include sharing personal or private information about someone else causing embarrassment or humiliation.
More Information
Statewide Bullying Prevention Website Resources
- Bullying Prevention Training & Resources
- California Department of Education
- California Anti-Bullying Laws & Policies
Bullying Prevention Resources
- StopBullying.gov
- US Department of Education
- Suicide Prevention Awareness Month
- Seth's Law (AB9) - Your Right to Not be Bullied at School
- Institutionalized Discrimination… Does it Exist in Your School?
- Domestic Violence Prevention Programs for Children and Youth
- LGBTQ+ Students and Resources
- Suggestions for Parents When Dealing With Bullies
Social Media & Cyberbullying
- How to Keep Kids Safe Online
- How to teach kids digital citizenship
- 9 Ways to Protect Your Teen From Online Bullying
Possible Forums for Social Media/Cyberbullying
Parents/Caregivers can monitor social media accounts.
District Policies
Local and Community Based Resources
- LGBTQ Center Long Beach
- LBUSD High School Wellness Centers
- LBUSD LGBTQ+ Students and Resources
- Beyond Bullies - Chat with Teen Leader (Wednesday Nights)
Resources for Non-discrimination
- State Resources That Support Youth
- Resources for Parents Uplifting Youth Through Healthy Communication About Race
- Resources: Here are ways you can support the Black community and the fight to combat racism, discrimination, and police brutality