Is your School Discriminating?
Did you know that your child’s school is legally required to comply with all federal civil rights laws? This means that your school cannot discriminate against your child or exclude them due to disabilities. It also means teachers and staff have to respond to all incidents of bullying and make the school environment a safe place for children to learn.
Did you have to fight to get your school to create an IEP (Individualized Education Plan) for your child? Now that they have to do it, do staff often ignore it? Are your child’s teachers refusing to make reasonable accommodations to make the school space more accessible?
These are all signs of discrimination against people with disabilities, which is a very serious matter.
Download our free checklist to see what signs of discrimination are happening at your school.
What does the law say?
There is no federal law that dictates what a school has to do if someone is being bullied.
However, schools receive government funding. Any organization that is funded by the government must comply with federal civil rights laws.
If the bullying is based on your child’s autism, and the school does nothing, this is considered a discriminatory practice.
For more information please click here.
How do I know if my school is discriminating?
Sadly there is no clear way to determine if discrimination is happening. It can be subtle at times, but if you’re wondering if the school is discriminating against your child, then chances are something is wrong.
Be on the lookout for signs of discrimination, some of which include
- Difficulty getting staff to make a 504 or IEP
- Ignoring accommodations in your 504 or IEP
- Imposing harsh punishments or unreasonable standards on your child
- Ignoring your child in class
- Suggesting your child or multiple children with disabilities relocate to another school
- Singling out your child negatively in front of others
- Create a hostile learning environment
Take note of how school administration officials respond when you alert them to the problem.
If they seem hostile or as though they are blaming your child for being bullied, that should be a red flag.
Make sure to download our free signs of discrimination checklist!
What Should I Do?
You only what is best for your child, and no kid should have to deal with discrimination in a place they are expected to learn.
Make sure to download our free signs of discrimination checklist and call us at 618-277-1554 to discuss the specifics of your case for free.
