Connecticut School Districts and Bullying: What Can Parents Do?
by
Joseph C. Maya on Feb. 16, 2024
Summary: This morning I received a very unfortunate email. The email concerned bullying in Westport, Connecticut Schools. It included a heart-wrenching video of an 8th-grade girl claiming to be a victim of bullying in a Westport school. It is not just enough to feel sorry for this child, we need to question the effectiveness of the current laws and policies to avoid the tragic consequences that other towns have dealt with.
CONNECTICUT GENERAL STATUTE SECTION 10-222d
I previously blogged about the revisions to Connecticut’s Law against bullying in 2008. Under Connecticut General Statute section 10-222d, the law requires “Any overt acts by a student or group of students directed against another student with the intent to ridicule, harass, humiliate or intimidate while on school grounds, at a school sponsored activity or on a school bus, in which acts are committed more than once against any student during the school year.” In addition to definitional changes, the statute requires:
- Teachers and other staff members who witness these acts to make a written notification to school administrators;
- Prohibits disciplinary actions based solely on the basis of an anonymous report;
- Prevention strategies as well as intervention strategies;
- Requires that parents of a student who commits verified acts or the victims parent, be notified by each school and be invited to attend at least one meeting;
- Requires schools to annually report the number of verified acts of bullying to the State Department of Education (DOE);
- No later than February 1, 2009, boards must submit their bullying policies to the DOE;
- No later than July 1, 2009, boards must include their bullying policy in their school district’s publications of rules, procedures and standards of conduct for school and in all of its student handbook.
- Effective July 1, 2009, boards must now provide in-service training for its teachers and administrators on bullying prevention.
WESTPORT'S BULLYING POLICY
Westport responded to the requirements of this statute with a comprehensive policy which can be found on the school district’s website under the tab for parents, and then selecting policies.
Armed with Connecticut’s Law and Westport’s policy, what should we do as parents, community members, and professionals? I do not profess to have the answers, but at a minimum we should discuss this with our children, question the school administrators, and guide staff and teachers. Together we should challenge ourselves to make a difference using the channels available to us. There are ways that we can help to effectuate change before it is too late.
If you know of a child affected by bullying, please act on their behalf. Not every student will post a video to tell you this is happening. If the school is not addressing the bullying in a meaningful way, legal redress is available and the courts will readily intervene.
Maya Murphy P.C. has proudly been included in the 2024 Edition of Best Law Firms®, ranked among the top firms in the nation. In addition, Managing Partner Joseph C. Maya has been selected to The Best Lawyers in America® 2024 for his work in Employment Law and Education Law in Connecticut. Recognition in Best Lawyers® is awarded to firms and attorneys who demonstrate excellence in the industry, and is widely regarded by both clients and legal professionals as a significant honor.
Our firm in Westport, Connecticut serves clients with legal assistance all over the state, including the towns of: Ansonia, Beacon Falls, Bethany, Bethel, Branford, Bridgeport, Brookfield, Cheshire, Danbury, Darien, Derby, East Haven, Easton, Fairfield, Greenwich, Guilford, Hamden, Madison, Meriden, Middlebury, Milford, Monroe, Naugatuck, New Canaan, New Fairfield, New Haven, Newton, North Branford, North Haven, Norwalk, Orange, Oxford, Prospect, Redding, Ridgefield, Seymour, Shelton, Sherman, Southbury, Stamford, Stratford, Trumbull, Wallingford, Waterbury, West Haven, Weston, Westport, Wilton, and Woodbridge. In addition to assisting clients in Connecticut, our firm handles education law and employment law matters in New York as well.
If you have any questions about employment law or education law in Connecticut, or would like to speak to an attorney about a legal matter, please contact Joseph C. Maya and the other experienced attorneys at Maya Murphy, P.C. at (203) 221-3100 or JMaya@Mayalaw.com to schedule a free initial consultation today.