When adults respond quickly and consistently to bullying behavior they send the message that it is not acceptable. Research shows this can stop bullying behavior over time. 

Parents, school staff, and other adults in the community can help kids prevent bullying by talking about it, building a safe school environment, and creating a community-wide bullying prevention strategy.

– U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, www.stopbullying.gov

The purpose of the Raise Your Hand Bullying Toolkit is to help families navigate the CPS Anti-Bullying Policy that is found in the CPS Student Code of Conduct (SCC) and the CPS Policy Manual. Other resources are provided when appropriate.

If you are a not a Chicago Public Schools (CPS) family, much of the below also applies to you. According to the webpage, Illinois Anti-Bullying Laws & Policies from www.stopbullying.gov, Illinois school districts must adopt bullying prevention policies and these policies “must contain key policy and procedural elements…” Additionally: Illinois anti-bullying laws require districts to file policies with the State Board of Education and to engage in a policy evaluation review process to assess the outcomes and effectiveness of the policy. Information developed as a result of the policy evaluation must be made available on the Internet website of the school district. Illinois school districts must review and re-evaluate policies every two years and make any necessary and appropriate revisions.

Your district has a Student Code of Conduct (SCC), and your school may have its own policies that work within that. Check out your district’s website as well as your school’s. Physical SCCs and school handbooks can also be helpful - this is true for both CPS and non CPS schools.

Remember you are not alone when your child is bullied. There are resources out there to help guide you. We have seen an uptick in parents and students speaking out about bullying at school. Please contact us directly at info@ilraiseyourhand.org if you have any questions about the information provided below or have tried-and-true resources that you think we should add. This is an evolving toolkit and we plan to add other sections, such as “The Child Who Bullies.” So do reach out with your resources, experiences, suggestions, and questions.

Immediate Help

• Bullying is Sexual in Nature: CPS Office of Student Protections and Title IX or 773-535-4400
• There has been a crime or someone is at immediate risk of harm:  911
• Someone is feeling hopeless, helpless, thinking of suicide:
  • Contact the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline online or at 1-800-273-TALK (8255)

Disclaimer: The Raise Your Hand Bullying Toolkit is made available to provide guidance and general information on responding to bullying and the CPS Student Code of Conduct (SCC), CPS Anti-Bullying Policy, Illinois Anti-Bullying Laws & Policies, and StopBullying.gov. The RYH Bullying Toolkit is not a substitute for professional medical or legal advice and the suggestions below are not necessarily appropriate for every situation. At some point, you may need to seek psychological, psychiatric, or legal assistance. All of the documentation you’ve gathered as a result of following the guidance below should be shared with these outside professionals.

Although RYH will try to keep this toolkit accurate and up-to-date, we will have no obligation to do so. RYH disclaims any liability for actions taken or not taken in reliance on the guidance and information contained in the toolkit.

©2019 Raise Your Hand for Illinois Public Education

Section 1

The Basics: Understanding the definition of bullying, district policies, and additional resources

The focus of Section 1 is the child who was bullied. A downloadable and printable pdf of Section 1 is here. 

Section 2: Under construction

Section 3: Under construction