§ 11 — Definitions

§ 11. Definitions. For the purposes of this article, the following\nterms shall have the following meanings:\n 1. "School property" shall mean in or within any building, structure,\nathletic playing field, playground, parking lot, or land contained\nwithin the real property boundary line of a public elementary or\nsecondary school; or in or on a school bus, as defined in section one\nhundred forty-two of the vehicle and traffic law.\n 2. "School function" shall mean a school-sponsored extra-curricular\nevent or activity.\n 3. "Disability" shall mean disability as defined in subdivision\ntwenty-one of section two hundred ninety-two of the executive law.\n 4. "Employee" shall mean employee as defined in subdivision three of\nsection eleven hundred twenty-five of this title.\n 5. "Sexual orientation" shall mean actual or perceived\nheterosexuality, homosexuality or bisexuality.\n 6. "Gender" shall mean actual or perceived sex and shall include a\nperson's gender identity or expression.\n 7. "Harassment" and "bullying" shall mean the creation of a hostile\nenvironment by conduct or by threats, intimidation or abuse, including\ncyberbullying, that (a) has or would have the effect of unreasonably and\nsubstantially interfering with a student's educational performance,\nopportunities or benefits, or mental, emotional or physical well-being;\nor (b) reasonably causes or would reasonably be expected to cause a\nstudent to fear for his or her physical safety; or (c) reasonably causes\nor would reasonably be expected to cause physical injury or emotional\nharm to a student; or (d) occurs off school property and creates or\nwould foreseeably create a risk of substantial disruption within the\nschool environment, where it is foreseeable that the conduct, threats,\nintimidation or abuse might reach school property. Acts of harassment\nand bullying shall include, but not be limited to, those acts based on a\nperson's actual or perceived race, color, weight, national origin,\nethnic group, religion, religious practice, disability, sexual\norientation, gender or sex. For the purposes of this definition the term\n"threats, intimidation or abuse" shall include verbal and non-verbal\nactions.\n 8. "Cyberbullying" shall mean harassment or bullying as defined in\nsubdivision seven of this section, including paragraphs (a), (b), (c)\nand (d) of such subdivision, where such harassment or bullying occurs\nthrough any form of electronic communication.\n 9. "Race" shall, for the purposes of this article include traits\nhistorically associated with race, including but not limited to, hair\ntexture and protective hairstyles.\n 10. "Protective hairstyles" shall include, but not be limited to, such\nhairstyles as braids, locks, and twists.\n