Columbia, MO. (KRCG) – The Columbia Public Schools Board of Education discussed a new, more comprehensive bullying policy following more than a year of development.
The motion was withdrawn, and the vote was postponed to allow revisions and ensure everyone has the latest clean version.
The updated policy clarifies who is required to report bullying and how incidents should be handled.
It also expands reporting requirements to include substitute teachers and educational contractors.
“They see bullying, well they need to report it too. That’s not clear in the policy right now,” Paul Harper, Columbia Public School board member and board policy chair, said.
Other changes include more direct language addressing cyberbullying, revised student support guidelines and the addition of bullying report forms to the policy.
Parents and guardians will also be required to receive notification within two days of a reported bullying incident.
Harper said the changes put many current practices into policy and would help the district collect more accurate data on bullying.
“Basically we’re beefing this up in order to ensure that students are protected, victims are protected, but also education goes out and that we have the data to ensure that we’re making the right decisions moving forward,” he said.
District leaders said the updated policy is part of a broader effort to address bullying and ensure concerns are handled appropriately.
The policy will be revisited at the next board meeting on October 21.
