Skip to main content

Bullying Prevention

BULLYING PREVENTION AND HARASSMENT

Holy Cross students are expected to be courteous and respectful in their contact with other students. Language used at Holy Cross Catholic Secondary School must reflect the respect we hold for each other's dignity.  Vulgar or inappropriate language will not be tolerated. Students are challenged to work at performing random acts of kindness.

Bullying is a dynamic of unhealthy interaction.  It is a form of repeated aggression used from a position of power.  Bullying can be physical, verbal, or social.  Physical bullying includes hitting, shoving, stealing, or damaging property.  Verbal bullying involves name-calling, mocking, sexual harassment, or racist or homophobic comments.  Social bullying involves excluding others from a group, or spreading gossip or rumours (including the Internet, e-mail, text messages, etc.) to threaten, harass, or exclude a group or individual.

Consistent with the Safe Schools Act and the London District Catholic School Board Code of Conduct, all students will demonstrate respect for others and contribute to a shared responsibility to create and maintain safe and caring schools free from bullying.  Bullying of any kind whether in schools, on school buses or at school functions is unacceptable.

As a Catholic School Community we will not tolerate bullying.  It is absolutely contrary to the fundamental beliefs of Christianity. That being  the belief of peace and love for one another, the belief of working for the good of the community, and the belief that a community is greater than the sum of its individual parts.  (1 Corinthians 12:12-26)

Students who are experiencing bullying must report it to an adult at the school or their parents or another trustworthy adult.

Harassment

Harassment can take the form of gestures, remarks, jokes, taunts, innuendo, display of offensive materials, offensive graffiti, threats, verbal or physical assault, hazing, stalking, shunning or exclusion of similar comments or conduct that are known or might reasonably be known to be unwelcome, unwanted, offensive, intimidating, hostile or inappropriate.  They may be directed at one's race, ethnicity, cultural background, place of birth, religion, citizenship, ancestry, gender, orientation.

Holy Cross Catholic Secondary School will respond to, and act upon every reported case of bullying and/or harassment.

On Line Social Networking

Online social networking, which involves any form of harassment which is deemed to be conduct injurious to the moral tone of the school, including comments posted electronically, is not acceptable.

  • All inappropriate or unauthorized references to Board or school personnel and/or students in on-line electronic related mediums are violations of the Catholic Code of Conduct.
  • Using computer technology or other communication technologies to communicate inappropriate, demeaning, harassing, bullying, cycber-bullying or threatening messages shall be subject to disciplinary action.  Students may be subject to criminal and/or civil liability.
  • Any unauthorized use of photographic, video or audio communication devices by students is strictly prohibited on all school board property and during any school related activities.  Failure to comply with this policy will result in disciplinary action.

SEXUAL HARASSMENT

Sexual harassment is any unwanted, uninvited remark, gesture, sound or action of a sexual nature that makes one feel unsafe, degraded or uncomfortable.  It includes any overt, subtle, verbal or written comment or any physical conduct, which places pressure on, ridicules, degrades, or expresses hatred based on a person's sex or sexual orientation. Sexual harassment will not be tolerated at Holy Cross Catholic Secondary School. Sexual harassment will be considered to be an act of violence.  The school will respond by contacting parents, and police.