CHILDREN BULLIED AT SCHOOL HAVE RIGHTS

When I was a child, bullying at school was rampant, and there wasn’t much that could be done about it.  When parents complained that their child was being bullied at school, there were told things like “boys will be boys,” and that they should teach their child to be more assertive to deal with bullies.  We know now that bullying can lead to depression and even suicide, and there are now laws that protect children from this fate.  In other words, children bullied at school now have rights.  The U.S. Department of Health and human services defines bullying as “unwanted, aggressive behavior among school-aged children,” and it must involve “a real or perceived power imbalance.”  It must be a recurring problem, not something that just happens once.  It can be physical, verbal or online (cyberbullying.)

If your child has an unexplained change in behavior such as:

• Impaired or deteriorating relationships with peers
• Difficulty making or keeping friends
• Increased sense of loneliness
• Increased anxiety levels or panic attacks
• Eating disorders
• Low self-esteem
• A decline in academic achievement

These may be signs that your child is being bullied, you should ask your child and assess whether they are being frank you with or covering something up (out of fear.)  You should investigate by talking to teachers, assessing their response.  Your child may tell you about the bullying, and you should try to get them to provide you with as much detail as possible about what’s been going on.