7.4       Bullying and Harassment

Bullying and Harassment may be described as behaviour that is destructive of a positive learning environment for students and/or a positive working environment for school staff. Each school should have a code of practice for dealing with incidents or complaints of bullying and harassment, especially sexual harassment, involving students. ACCS, ASTI and TUI have developed an agreed Code of Practice for dealing with complaints made by parents/students against a teacher and for dealing with complaints of sexual harassment of a teacher by a student. These codes of practice should be incorporated into the school’s own code.

ACCS have published Guidelines on the Formulation of a School Policy to Counter Bullying Behaviour which include reference to extensive guidelines published by the DES