Drexel Hill Middle School - School Safety and Bullying

School Safety and Bullying

Upper Darby School District Administration reported there were five incidents of bullying in the district in 2009. Seventy school safety incidents resulted in police intervention with 40 arrests. There were 27 incidents of sexual harassment and 84 assaults on students. In 2011, a video tape of an assault of a 13 year old student by 7 Upper Darby High School students was widely reported. The video became a national symbol of school bullying. In October 2011, the District announced establishing a School Safety Committee to address the school's serious safety issues.

The Upper Darby School Board has provided the district's antibully cyberbullying policy online. All Pennsylvania schools are required to have an anti-bullying policy incorporated into their Code of Student Conduct beginning in 2006. The policy must identify disciplinary actions for bullying and designate a school staff person to receive complaints of bullying. The policy must be available on the school's website and posted in every classroom. All Pennsylvania public schools must provide a copy of its anti-bullying policy to the Office for Safe Schools every year, and shall review their policy every three years. Additionally, the district must conduct an annual review of that policy with students. The Center for Schools and Communities works in partnership with the Pennsylvania Commission on Crime & Delinquency and the Pennsylvania Department of Education to assist schools and communities as they research, select and implement bullying prevention programs and initiatives.

Education standards relating to student safety and antiharassment programs are described in the 10.3. Safety and Injury Prevention in the Pennsylvania Academic Standards for Health, Safety and Physical Education.