Bullying is aggressive, repeated behaviour, that causes harm, fear, distress, or creates a negative environment at school for another individual. While you have the right to freedom of expression and may express opinions that offend others who disagree, this right must be balanced carefully against the rights of marginalized students to be safe at school.
Often bullying involves a power imbalance, where one individual may have more physical, social, or emotional power than the other.
Bullying can look like:
- Verbal harassment (such as slurs, threats, or insults)
- Physical harm (pushing, hitting, spitting)
- Social exclusion or spreading rumours
- Cyberbullying (posting hurtful content on social media, sending harassing messages, or impersonating someone online)
