In this chapter:
I. (a) "
Bullying
" means a single significant incident or a pattern of incidents involving a written, verbal, or electronic communication, or a physical act or gesture, or any combination thereof, directed at another pupil which:
(1) Physically harms a pupil or damages the pupil’s property;
(2) Causes emotional distress to a pupil;
(3) Interferes with a pupil’s educational opportunities;
(4) Creates a hostile educational environment; or
(5) Substantially disrupts the orderly operation of the school.
(b) "Bullying" shall include actions motivated by an imbalance of power based on a pupil’s actual or perceived personal characteristics, behaviors, or beliefs, or motivated by the pupil’s association with another person and based on the other person’s characteristics, behaviors, or beliefs.
II. "
Cyberbullying
" means conduct defined in paragraph I of this section undertaken through the use of electronic devices.
III. "
Electronic devices
" include, but are not limited to, telephones, cellular phones, computers, pagers, electronic mail, instant messaging, text messaging, and websites.
IV. "
Perpetrator
" means a pupil who engages in bullying or cyberbullying.
V. "
School property
" means all real property and all physical plant and equipment used for school purposes, including public or private school buses or vans.
VI. "
Victim
" means a pupil against whom bullying or cyberbullying has been perpetrated.
Source. 2000, 190:1. 2004, 205:1. 2010, 155:2, eff. July 1, 2010.