What is DASA?
Dignity for All Students
Facts About Bullying
• Nearly one-third of American teens are
involved in bullying
• Bullies do poorly in school compared to
students who do not bully
• Bullying behavior strikes during transition years
(ex: elementary to middle school)
• Students who exhibit bullying behavior often
experience intimidation, threats, power, and
control problems with other people
• Nine out of 10 LGBTQ students have been
bullied
• 10-20% of bystanders provide any real help
Types of Bullying Behavior
• Physical (such as hitting, pushing, or stealing
property)
• Verbal (such as name calling, making
offensive/discriminatory remarks, or verbally
threatening)
• Social/Emotional/Relational (such as
spreading rumors, alienating, or using
threatening looks/gestures)
• Cyberbullying (using the internet or a cell
phone to harass and intimidate)
• DASA provides an environment free of Act
discrimination, intimidation, taunting,
bullying, and harassment to all public
school students
(DASA)
• DASA prevents and prohibits conduct
inconsistent with a school’s education What Teachers Need to Know
mission and fosters civility
• DASA protects all students, regardless of
Race, Color, National Origin, Disability,
Sexual Orientation, or Weight
What is Harassment?
The creation of a hostile environment by
conduct or verbal threats, intimidation or
abuse that has, or would have, the effect
of unreasonably and substantially
interfering with a student’s educational
performance, opportunities or benefits,
or mental, emotional or physical
wellbeing
What is Bullying? Trish Breault
For a behavior to be classified as
EDS 543
bullying, two conditions must be met:
Dr. Squires
1. The aggressor must intend to hurt or
intimidate someone less powerful
2. The behavior must be repeated
 Responsibilities of
Teachers
• Address gateway behaviors (tone,
in/exclusion, code, facial expressions, and
body language)
• Create a safe classroom environment and
community from the first day
• Address behaviors that occur outside the
classroom (on and off school grounds) and at
school functions
• Set guidelines and classroom rules (“see
something, say something”)
• Address “tattling”
• Work collaboratively with parents
• Teach students about bullying
affect the way we view the world and other people and how
Teacher Disciplinary Consequences
• Verbal warning/reprimand to desist bullying
behavior
• Parent notification
• Recommendation for counseling for both the
victim and bully (outside referral or in-
school)
• Parent-Student DAC Administration meeting
• Detention/Suspension
• Change of class schedule
• Superintendent hearing (administration
disciplinary decision)
• Referral to police (administration decision)
Teaching Tolerance Activities
Discovering Your FRAME
A FRAME is made up of the values we hold, our
culture and background, and our life experiences
(such as religion or economic class)
F – Figure out the facts (ask questions and listen)
R – Reflect on reality (am I looking at this
through my FRAME or trying to see it through
their FRAME?)
A – Acknowledge and challenge assumptions
(are your expectations appropriate?)
M – Maintain an open mind (being different does
not make someone wrong; what do you have in
common?)
E – Expand your experiences (increase your
cultural competence and expand your comfort
zone)
Teachers may lead a discussion about how a FRAME can
our FRAME can lead us to make
assumptions/judgements/stereotypes about others and the
world around us
Additional Student Participation Methods
• Anonymous surveys
• Anti-Bullying Reflection Questions
• Wrinkled paper heart analogy
• Role identification quizzes
• Discussion about bystander vs. upstander
• Checking on Stereotypes identification and
discussion
Teaching Empathy
• Teach mindfulness (the practice of non-
judgmental awareness of our thoughts,
emotions, bodily sensations and
surrounding environment)
• Learn how to observe without reacting to
strong emotions (this leads to recognizing
the same emotions and needs in others)
Activity
• Are You Empathetic? (Students will
understand empathy, practice ways to be
more understanding, and reflect on the
effects of empathetic listening)
Supporting Students
• Adopt comprehensive programming designed
to promote social and emotional competency
• Implement mentorship or buddy programs for
transitioning students
• Discus healthy relationships, behaviors, rights
and choices
What should a teacher say to a
student experiencing bullying?
• Do not blame yourself or ignore the
behavior
• Be assertive with the bully; tell them to
stop
• Alert parents
• Discuss incident with School Counselor,
Assistant Principal, and/or Principal
 References

Gillen, L. (2016). Empathy: The Antidote to Bullying.

New York State Education Department. (2017). The Dignity for All Students Act. Retrieved from http://www.p12.nysed.gov/dignityact/
Samsa, A. L. (2014). Saying No to Social Bullying.
Squires, M. E. (2017). Dignity for All Students Act (DASA) [PowerPoint slides]. Retrieved from.
https://moodle.plattsburgh.edu/pluginfile.php/1175141/mod_resource/content/2/Dignity%20for%20All%20Students%20Act%20%28DA
SA%29%20Fall%202017.pptx
The Southern Poverty Law Center. Bullying By The Numbers.
The Southern Poverty Law Center. (2015). Checking on Stereotypes.
The Southern Poverty Law Center. (2015). Developing Empathy: High School.
The Southern Poverty Law Center. Handout II: Anti-Bullying Reflection Questions.
The Southern Poverty Law Center. Quick Quiz: Facts and Myths About Bullying.
The Southern Poverty Law Center. Reflection: What’s Your FRAME?
The Southern Poverty Law Center. Valuing Differences: Discovering Your FRAME
The Southern Poverty Law Center. Questions For Reflective Practice. .
Van Der Valk, A. (2013). There Are No Bullies.

Trish Breault
EDS 543
Dr. Squires
DASA Brochure