School Bullying
Numerous studies show that students with disabilities are at greater risk for being bullied than their nondisabled peers.
If your child is being bullied at school, what can you do?
The information shared below can help you understand how to identify and respond to bullying, how to talk to your child about bullying, and describe potential responses you can take to address bullying your child is experiencing.
Resources
A project of PACER, an organization which works to expand opportunities and enhance the quality of life of children and young adults with disabilities and their families.
A website developed by and for teens associated with PACER.
A comprehensive website for youth, parents, schools and communities managed by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.
Resources provided by the National Center for Mental Health Promotion and Youth Violence Prevention, a technical assistance program for school districts and communities.
Action Steps
Incorporate bullying prevention strategies into your child's IEP or 504 plan.
File a complaint with your child's school.
The Jamari Terrell Williams Student Bullying Prevention Act, enacted in 2018, aims to prevent student-on-student bullying, intimidation, violence, and threats of violence in Alabama public schools. You can read more about the law and how it defines bullying. Importantly, the law applies to incidents that occur on and off school property between students and specifically includes cyberbullying.
School systems are required to establish policies and procedures for the investigation of all incidents reported to school officials of bullying, violence, threats of violence, or intimidation by any other student.
These policies and procedures, along with a bullying complaint form, can be found on your school and school district’s websites and in your school office.An example of a model complaint form. Complaints must be delivered to the principal (or their designee) either by mail or personal delivery. After receiving a complaint, the principal will review it and determine if it alleges a serious violation of this policy and, if so, the principal must undertake a “reasonably prompt” investigation.
If you decide to file a bullying complaint, make sure you keep a copy for your records. When you file the complaint, ask the principal (or their designee) about next steps and timeframes for when you will hear back about how your complaint is being handled.
Consider whether the bullying is a violation of Section 504 or the ADA/Title II
Under Section 504 and Title II of the Americans with Disabilities Act, schools must address bullying and harassment that are based on a student’s disability and that interfere with or limit a student’s ability to participate in or benefit from the services, activities, or opportunities offered by a school.
If any bullying or harassing behavior interferes with the ability of a student with a disability to access educational services, the situation, if uncorrected, may constitute a violation of your child’s right to a free appropriate public education.
Information from the Office for Civil Rights (OCR) on bullying and harassment of students with disabilities. This OCR fact sheet talks about a school’s responsibilities when a student with a disability is being bullied.