Your child's school is legally responsible to keep records and respond to bullying incidents. Don't let them ignore your child's problems. If they will not respond appropriately, there are steps you can take to get action.The following is some useful advice I have given to many parents...
First of all - If the bullying involves physical attacks or threats, contact your local police and lay charges immediately. If the problem is cyberbullying, save all texts and/or photos for future evidence. Police can lay charges for cyber attacks as well as physical assaults.
Go to BullyPolice (US) and check your State's laws. Knowing the law is your best defense against having your concerns dismissed. Laws are also in place in Australia, New Zealand, Canada, and many other countries.
Download a Notice of Harassment from Documatica-forms. They are available customized for many countries. Fill it out, and present it to the school, (keep copies). Threaten legal action in writing, even if you can't realistically pay a lawyer. The school doesn't know that. The idea here is to establish a paper trail. Next, arrange an appointment with the principal. Once a school knows that a parent knows the law, and won't "go away", they tend to respond better. Don't take any crap from them if they try to brush you off. Demand action, don't ask for it!
Try contacting your local school board with the same paperwork, and get a face to face with them as well. Often, boards are far more sensitive to legal repercussions than individual schools are. Again, don't let them ignore you!
If there are any other parents at the school that are having similar problems, (there usually are) contact them and join forces. There is strength in numbers, and schools are even more likely to respond when faced with a group of parents.
The most important tool you have is knowledge. Don't let the school tell you how things will go, tell THEM! Check our Parents page for more info and resources.
