When The School Calls It Bullying
A.R.S. 15-341 — a district policy against harassment, intimidation and bullying, and a written report from every employee who suspects it
In Arizona, the governing board of a school district prescribes and enforces policies and procedures to prohibit pupils from harassing, intimidating and bullying other pupils on school grounds, on school property, on school buses, at school bus stops, at school-sponsored events and activities, and through the use of electronic technology or electronic communication on school computers, networks, forums and mailing lists.
- A procedure for pupils, parents and school district employees to report incidents to school officials confidentially, with written forms for a full and detailed description.
- A requirement that school district employees report suspected incidents in writing to the appropriate school official, and disciplinary procedures for an employee who fails to report an incident known to the employee.
- A written copy of the rights, protections and support services available to an alleged victim, given to all pupils at the beginning of each school year and to an alleged victim when an incident is reported.
- A formal process for investigating suspected incidents, including notice to the alleged victim and the alleged victim's parent or guardian.
- Disciplinary procedures for pupils who admitted or were found to have committed an incident, and consequences for submitting false reports.
- Procedures to protect the health and safety of pupils physically harmed, including contacting emergency medical services or law enforcement where appropriate, and definitions of harassment, intimidation and bullying.
The records. A school district keeps documentation of every reported incident for at least six years. The school does not use it to impose disciplinary action unless the appropriate school official has investigated and determined that the reported incidents occurred, and individually identifiable information is redacted when documentation goes to anyone other than school officials or law enforcement.
Discipline itself, suspension and expulsion procedure, charter schools, federal civil rights law on harassment based on a protected characteristic, and criminal charges for conduct that is also a crime are outside this page. Whether a district followed its own policy in a particular case is a question for a licensed Arizona attorney.
Sources for this section (1)
- A.R.S. 15-341 — General powers and duties; immunity; delegation
Legal information, not legal advice. Verified as of September 2026. Applying it to a particular situation is the work of a licensed Arizona attorney.