who do i need to call about bulling in millbrae school district or an attorney

by Chanel Connelly 7 min read

What should schools do to address bullying and harassment?

Click here to find your School District's HIB Compliance Officer. Every district is required to identify a person responsible for being a primary point of contact, and making sure the district complies with its anti-harassment, intimidation and bullying policy. That person is called the “ HIB Compliance Officer .”.

How do I file a complaint about school bullying in California?

Texas school district policies must establish the actions a student should take to obtain assistance and intervention in response to bullying and must set out the available counseling options for a student who is a victim of or a witness to bullying or who engages in bullying.

When do school staff have to intervene in the face of bullying?

Mar 25, 2012 · Document, Document, Document. Write down your child's account of the incident (s) of bullying. Record as much detail as possible, since memory tends to be short and details can get easily and ...

What are Texas school districts doing about bullying?

How the school must respond: Once the school knows that bullying is impacting FAPE, they must take steps to stop the bullying. They must also take steps to prevent the bullying from happening again. The school must call an IEP meeting to talk about how the bullying has impacted his education. The team must discuss whether he needs additional services to remedy the …

How are bullying and cyberbullying defined in Texas anti-bullying laws and regulations?

Texas anti-bullying laws and regulations include the following definitions of bullying and cyberbullying:

Do Texas anti-bullying laws and regulations cover cyberbullying that occurs off-campus?

Yes. Texas anti-bullying laws cover off-campus conduct that occurs off school property or outside of a school-sponsored or school-related activity if the cyberbullying:

What are the policy requirements for schools to prevent and respond to bullying behavior?

Texas school districts are required to adopt a policy concerning bullying. School district policies must contain key policy and procedural elements, including, but not limited to:

Do Texas anti-bullying laws and regulations include protections for specific groups?

No. There are no specific groups listed under Texas anti-bullying laws or regulations.

Do Texas anti-bullying laws and regulations encourage or require districts to implement bullying prevention programs or strategies?

Yes.

Do Texas anti-bullying laws and regulations encourage or require districts to train teachers and other school staff on how to respond to bullying incidents?

Yes. Texas anti-bullying law encourage districts to include information of preventing, identifying, responding to, and reporting incidents of bullying in district staff development programs.

Do Texas anti-bullying laws and regulations encourage or require districts to provide safeguards or mental health supports for students involved with bullying?

Yes. Texas school district policies must establish the actions a student should take to obtain assistance and intervention in response to bullying and must set out the available counseling options for a student who is a victim of or a witness to bullying or who engages in bullying.

What is the challenge of bullying in schools?

Getting a handle on bullying in schools is a complex challenge that leaves many educators feeling overwhelmed and helpless. More often than they would care to admit, the teacher who downplays an incident of bullying is the teacher who simply has no idea how to handle the problem in his classroom.

How to stop bullying as a parent?

A parent's best strategy for countering bullying is to reach out to as many people as necessary to make sure that the bullying comes to an end. If you have reached out to your child's teacher and received a bland, disinterested, or downplayed response, do not be deterred.

Why do some adults downplay bullying?

The point I make most strongly is that it takes a tremendous amount of courage for most kids to talk with their parents about being the target of bullying. It is such a deeply painful and humiliating experience that even kids with the most trusting relationship with their parents find their victimization hard to reveal. Therefore, when kids do talk about being bullied, it is imperative that parents honor the courageous act of sharing and become their child's champion.

Is bullying an epidemic?

Bullying among school-aged children is widely regarded as an epidemic problem in the United States. If there were an easy solution to the problem, it would have been suggested and implemented long ago. You wouldn't be thinking about it and I wouldn't be writing about it.

How do schools respond to bullying?

How the school must respond: Once the school knows that bullying is impacting FAPE, they must take steps to stop the bullying. They must also take steps to prevent the bullying from happening again. The school must call an IEP meeting to talk about how the bullying has impacted his education .

What happens if a school suspects bullying?

According to federal and most state laws, if a school even suspects bullying, it must investigate. For instance, if a teacher sees kids making fun of another child because she can’t read, the teacher must report it. The school must look into the situation, even if the child hasn’t said anything.

What is the first line of defense against bullying?

If your child is being bullied at school, the first line of defense is your state’s anti-bullying law. All 50 states have anti-bullying laws. These laws often have the strongest protections for students. And they can help put an immediate stop to the bullying.

What is FAPE in education?

The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) guarantees kids with the right to a free appropriate public education (FAPE). IDEA requires a school to act if bullying interferes with a child’s FAPE. Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 also guarantees kids the right to FAPE.

Is bullying based on disability?

Bullying that’s based on a child’s disability: If the bullying causes a “hostile environment” — meaning the bullying is serious enough to cause the child not to participate in some aspect at school — the school must act. Any child with a disability is covered. Here are some example scenarios.

What is the 504 plan?

If bullying interferes with FAPE for a child with a 504 plan, the school must act. Section 504 and Title II of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) both prohibit discrimination at school against kids with disabilities, which can include kids with learning and thinking differences.

What are some examples of bullying?

Example of bullying that denies a child’s FAPE: A child with has an IEP and receives specialized reading instruction. Other kids start making fun of him because his family is low-income. The bullying makes the child feel ashamed. As a result, he stops coming to school and doesn’t see the reading specialist.

What is the definition of bullying?

Bullying is defined as unwanted, aggressive behavior that involves a real or perceived power imbalance. The behavior is repeated, or has the potential to be repeated, over time. The imbalance of power involves the use of physical strength, access to embarrassing information, or popularity to control or harm others.

What is cyber bullying?

Cyberbullying is bullying that takes place using electronic technology. Electronic technology includes devices and equipment such as cell phones, computers, and tablets, as well as communication tools including social media sites, text messages, chat, and websites.

What are the laws against bullying in schools?

State antibullying laws generally require schools to take specific steps in response to bullying, including disciplinary proceedings for the bullies that could lead to suspension or even expulsion from school.

What is bullying in school?

damaging or stealing belongings. demanding money, and. spreading rumors about someone or telling other students not to be friends with them. Most schools have policies that define bullying, but they can differ in specifics, depending on local school policies.

What are the different types of bullying?

Bullying can take many forms, including: 1 cyberbullying or sexual harassment (more on those below) 2 teasing or name-calling 3 shoving, hitting, tripping, hair-pulling, or any other kind of physical assault 4 threatening 5 hazing —forcing another student to do something humiliating or dangerous, often as part of initiation into a club or sports team 6 damaging or stealing belongings 7 demanding money, and 8 spreading rumors about someone or telling other students not to be friends with them.

What are the forms of bullying?

Bullying can take many forms, including: cyberbullying or sexual harassment (more on those below) teasing or name-calling. shoving, hitting, tripping, hair-pulling, or any other kind of physical assault. threatening.

How does bullying affect kids?

First of all, it’s important to recognize that bullying can have serious, long-term effects on your child, from skipping school and dropping grades to anxiety and depression. To avoid risking these consequences, experts recommend that you don’t ignore the problem or hope that the children will work it out among themselves.

Can a lawyer help with bullying?

Also, a lawyer could give you information about the possibility of filing a civil case against the bully for any harm any that was caused, or of suing the school district. Lawyers with extensive juvenile court experience should be well-suited to evaluate a situation involving bullying.

What is the number to report a harassment complaint?

The U.S. Commission on Civil Rights: Referral Service to report hate crimes and discrimination complaints. National Suicide Prevention Hotline: (800) 273-8255.

What are the signs of being bullied?

Additional warning signs of bullying and abuse in non-verbal children may include: Social withdrawal. Avoidance of certain places or people.

What are the consequences of bullying a child?

Bullying increases the risk of depression, anxiety, sleep difficulties, poor grades, and self-harm, including suicide. ². Parents have the right to expect their child’s school to be a safe environment. Here’s what you can do if your child is being bullied at school.

What is physical bullying?

Physical bullying is a form of physical assault. Physical bullying involves physical aggression, such as pushing, slapping, punching, hair-pulling, tripping and hitting with objects, like school books. Physical bullying also includes restraining a child, pulling or tearing at clothing, and throwing objects or bodily fluids at a child.

Is bullying a federal law?

There are no current federal laws specifically aimed at bullying. However, students who are bullied because of their race, religion, disability, sexual orientation, ethnicity, gender, or gender identity are protected under federal civil rights laws.

What is cyber bullying?

Cyberbullying consists of the use of social media to willfully, viciously and maliciously harass a student, whether by posting unflattering and compromising photographs, making derogatory, demeaning, or hurtful remarks, or to otherwise abuse, belittle, or harass another student.

Can a school sue a government?

Schools and Sovereign Immunity. In some states, it is not possible to sue any government entity, including a public school. This immunity from lawsuits is referred to as sovereign immunity, and it protects school districts from lawsuits associated with bullying. In 1946, the federal government passed the Federal Tort Claims Act waiving sovereign ...

How to file a complaint against a school?

If the school does not take steps to correct the problem, or if you are uncomfortable talking with school staff, you can also file a complaint. There are three kinds of complaints: 1 A formal Uniform Complaint Procedure (UCP) complaint. A UCP complaint is filed with your school district and can be appealed to the California Department of Education. 2 A formal California Attorney General (AG) complaint. An AG complaint about school bullying or harassment is filed with the California Bureau of Children’s Justice. 3 A formal Office for Civil Rights (OCR) complaint. An OCR complaint is filed directly with the federal Department of Education’s Office for Civil Rights.

Why is bullying harmful?

Bullying or harassment is especially harmful when students are bullied due to actual or perceived characteristics such as race or ethnicity, ancestry, color, ethnic group identification, gender expression, gender identity, gender, disability, nationality, religion, sexual orientation, age, or a person’s association with a person or group.

What role do parents play in bullying?

Parents and guardians play a critical role in helping students recognize signs of bullying or harassment and doing something about it . For example, students who are being harassed or bullied often act differently—clothes may be torn or a student may be less interested in school work.

Where to file an OCR complaint?

An OCR complaint is filed directly with the federal Department of Education’s Office for Civil Rights. In California, anyone can file a complaint to report harassment or bullying. A complaint can be filed on your behalf or on behalf of someone else or be anonymous.

Should schools stop bullying?

YES. Schools must step in and address bullying or harassment. However, a school should NOT automatically suspend or expel the bullying student, since that is often not the most effective way to stop or prevent bullying and harassment. (See our handout on the dangers of “ zero tolerance policies .”)

Is bullying a victim's fault?

YES. Bullying is not the victim’s fault. Students often feel fearful, hurt, or ashamed, and need encouragement to discuss bullying. Students should talk to people they trust when experiencing bullying such as parents, administrators, and other trusted adults or friends can provide support.

Who Is OCR?

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The Office of Civil Rights (OCR) is a federal agency that investigates complaints of discrimination on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex, disability and age in public schools. OCR enforces anti-discrimination civil rights laws that apply to schools, school districts, and other public agencies that receive funding from the …
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Ocr Complaint Process

  • Who can file a complaint? You can file a complaint against your public school or school district if you believe that the school or district discriminated against you—or against someone else—on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex (including gender expression, gender identity, and sexual orientation), disability, or age. Do I need to file a complaint with my school first? No. You do NO…
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How to File A Complaint

  • 1. Find a complaint form You can use this OCR complaint formor you can write a letter to OCR explaining your complaint without the form. At a minimum, be sure to include all of this information: 1. Your name, address, and (optionally) the phone number where you can be reached during business hours. 2. Information about the person or group of people who were discriminat…
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Possible Reasons For Filing A Complaint

  • Note: These are examples, not the only possible reasons. Bullying & Harassment 1. You should never be verbally and/or physically harassed by anyone at school based on your race, national origin, ethnicity, gender, gender identity, gender expression, sexual orientation, disability, or age. 2. All students have the right to a safe school. Discrimination 1. You or your student group should …
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