Sending our kids to school is meant to be beneficial to them. On average our children spend just under 1,200 hours in school a year. They should be comfortable there if we expect them to learn.
However, many students face school bullying. To make matters worse, their teachers and school administrators might be indifferent to or even worsen their plight.
Schools have certain legal responsibilities to their students and families, and if administrators and teachers fail to respond to school bullying in a prompt matter, that can be a form of discrimination.
What laws require schools to act?
There is no specific federal law in place that requires schools to respond to bullying. Nonetheless, as organizations that receive government funding, schools must comply with all federal civil rights laws.
Under these federal civil law acts, your school has a responsibility to take action against bullying. These actions can include
- Inquiries into individual incidents
- Discussing how to deal with bullying with affected students
- Checking in with students to make sure harassment has ended
- Appropriate interventions to resolve hostile environments
If school administrators are neglecting to act or worsening hazing, bullying, or teasing in school, it is a form of discrimination.
Especially, if the bullying is based on a student’s
- Race
- Nation of Origin
- Sexual Orientation
- Gender Identity
- Disability
- Religion
For more information please click here.
If your child’s school is not taking the required action to resolve your child’s problems, and their inaction is a result of your child’s race, nation of origin, sexual orientation, gender identity, disability, or religion, that can be a form of discrimination, putting them in violation of civil rights laws.
What do I do if my child is being discriminated against?
Cueto Law is currently engaged in a lawsuit against a school district in Illinois for neglecting to act and worsening the conditions of bullying in school.
Your child has a right to a non-hostile learning environment, and if school administration and teachers are failing to fulfill their responsibility to your child, it can be a form of discrimination.
Please visit our website and call us at 618-277-1554 to discuss your individual circumstances.
