- Definition
Harassment is when someone repeatedly acts or speaks in a way that makes another person feel bad, scared, or insulted because of who they are. This can include mean jokes, threats, or unwanted touching.
Repeatedly making fun of how another child runs or throws because of their gender is a form of harassment.
How to teach this in 30 seconds
Try this analogy: Harassment is like someone repeatedly kicking the back of your chair on purpose after you've asked them to stop—it's unwanted behaviour meant to make you uncomfortable.
Ask your child: What does it feel like when a joke stops being funny and starts to feel mean?
Common mix-up: Kids may think it's not harassment if they were 'just joking.' The important part is how the behaviour makes the other person feel, not what the person doing it intended.
Examples
- Calling someone hurtful names based on their culture or family background.
- Telling someone they are bad at a sport because of their body shape or size.
- Sharing a mean drawing or photo of a peer to make others laugh at them.
harassment is a term used in Ontario’s Kindergarten to Grade 8 curriculum.
Where this shows up
The descriptions on this page are SmartStudy’s own original, plain-language writing — not the Ministry’s wording. They are aligned to the Ontario Curriculum, © King’s Printer for Ontario. For the Ministry’s official wording, see the source link below. SmartStudy is an independent service and is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or sponsored by the Government of Ontario or the Ministry of Education. Ontario Curriculum and Resources ↗
