Sprayberry NJROTC Anti-Hazing, Bullying and Harassment
While the SNSIs of NJROTC units are responsible for implementing programs to prevent hazing and bullying, cadets are expected to show good citizenship and leadership by assuring the fair treatment of all. The cadets’ program should include ways to report improper conduct without fear of reprisal, corrective actions as deemed necessary to prevent recurrence in accordance with school policies regarding misconduct.
DEFINITIONS:
a. Hazing is the practice of rituals and other activities involving harassment, abuse, or humiliation used as a way of initiating a person into a group (usually an informal association that acts in secret). Hazing is any action or situation, with or without the consent of the participants, which recklessly, intentionally, or unintentionally endangers the mental, physical, or academic health or safety of a student.
b. Bullying is any type of unwanted, aggressive behavior that involves a real or perceived power imbalance with the intent to abuse, embarrass, control, or harm the victim. Bullying can be physical, verbal, or written (to include social media).
c. Cyber bullying uses electronic communications devices. Social media must be guarded so as not become the avenue for bullying and sexual harassment. With the proliferation of social media, most students are aware of cyber bullying immediately and quite often know the perpetrator and the victim. However, most cyber bullying goes unreported. It is wrong to subject any one to bullying and it is our shared responsibility to ensure it doesn’t happen.
d. Sexual harassment is bullying of a sexual nature and includes the creation of an atmosphere of fear or mistrust.
Hazing/bullying is not acceptable in any form in the NJROTC program. NJROTC cadets should feel confident in their knowledge of prevention of hazing and bullying and should apply that knowledge throughout their school and community. We expect our cadets to be role models for other students. As professionals we understand that there is no place for any form of hazing or bullying.
An outstanding web resource for recognizing and dealing with bullying is stopbullying.gov. This site has several pages, videos and other resources to help with this problem. Copy/paste the following url:
https://www.stopbullying.gov/resources/training-center