Son Bully'd at School Again

[Steph9072]

This might help you check this out
http://www.bullypolice.org/oh_law.html
Ohio like Indiana has an anti-bullying law. By law the school has to do everything in their power to stop this. I would start making a paper trail now. I would make a police report. I would email the principal and tell him that you will be in his office at x time for an appointment. I would advise him that this will stop and he will make it happen. If he does not make it happen you will go to State board of education and further if you too. I also tell him the next time it happens you will hold him and school responsible.
As for the kid I would again talk to the parents. Advise them of the anti bullying law and that you will peruse as far as you are made to do so. It is my understanding in cases like this the parents can be held civilly responsible for their child’s actions. I would be prepared to sue them if they do nothing to control their kid.
As for your son make sure to love on him lots. Let him know kids like this often bring others down to make themselves feel better. Let him know how great he is and this is not his issue it is theirs.

Good luck to you. I know how hard this is. My daughter was bullied in Kindergarten. Yes, Kindergarten I was shocked.

 

[Zeebs]

I agree. You need to file a police report. It doesn't sound like the boys' parents are taking this seriously -- perhaps police involvement will wake them up.

The situation will only worsen if nothing is done -- especially if the boys are being encouraged or enabled by their parents at home. It will worsen not only for your child, but for the bullies, as well. Bullies today are criminals tomorrow. Perhaps they can get themselves straightened out before they end up in jail for something they've done -- beating their wives, their kids, whatever.

Maybe their parents are believing their child. I totally am against bullying in any way, shape or form but I also see why sometimes little is done.

As a parent you stand up for your child, you believe your child, maybe the other child has told his parents exactly the same situation but in reverse unless there is witnesses how do you tell.

This certainly isn't against the OP, I am not suggesting your child is lying I think following it up given prior dealings with the family either with a trip in person to the school or via the police station is a good idea. There is no excuse for hitting, as some said previously, that should be punished not accepted by the aide as a suitable way to deal with being called a name.

Kirsten

 

[blueprincessmama]

My two older children now 9 and 7 were public educated and it was one thing after another. BUs driver screaming at the kids, older bully picking fights and one day a kid punched my son in the face. The teacher saw it happen before my son reacted (we have always taught him to defend himself) and took both boys to the office. I was called at 2pm after my son was already on the bus home from school. I felt like I was fighting a battle with the public school sysytem that was doomed. The teachers are underpaid, they teach the state tests (FCAT where we live) and the kids have 2 working parents who use school as daycare and video games as evening care. I had enough and pulled my kids out. We homeschool now and my kids 9 and 7 read at a 6 and 7 grade reading level are both at 4th grade level math and are happy, kind and are enjoying being 9 and 7. They have friends and enjoy team sports but they I don't send them off where they have to fend for themselves. There is enough time for that when they get older.
For those who think that homeschooled kids are sheltered, maybe they are from that part of childhood but my children know the world is a hard place to live sometimes and they know they are lucky to be able to grow in the shelter of their parents love in their own home. I'm not saying pull all kids out of public school but there are just not enough parents who are interested in thier kids anymore to really make a difference. I'm not trying to be a debbie downer. I just want to show that there are other options when your children are changing and you feel like you can't protect them.
Sorry for the soap box rant

 

[DVC Sadie]

I would not only call the police but if my child had been bullied/assaulted prior to this incident I would be calling my attorney with all of my documentation with pictures of bruises/injuries.

 

[JimR24]

I would not only call the police but if my child had been bullied/assaulted prior to this incident I would be calling my attorney with all of my documentation with pictures of bruises/injuries.

Really??? Get a lawyer involved because of a school yard incident. Is it wrong, yes, but not enough to get a lawyer involved. This is what is wrong with America these days, even one has a lawyer and is sue happy. Let the parents handle this with the school and possible law enforcement(maybe). Or better yet, let her son punch this kid in the mouth.

 

[DVC Sadie]

Really??? Get a lawyer involved because of a school yard incident. Is it wrong, yes, but not enough to get a lawyer involved. This is what is wrong with America these days, even one has a lawyer and is sue happy. Let the parents handle this with the school and possible law enforcement(maybe). Or better yet, let her son punch this kid in the mouth.

If my child was bullied on multiple occasions with documentation, photos of bruises and injuries you better believe I would do everything in my power to ensure that it didn't happen again to either my child or someone elses child.

I am not sue happy but I don't see this as a "simple schoolyard incident" if this is what truly happened.

 

[badblackpug]

Call the school 1st thing in the morning. Demand a meeting with the teacher, guidance counselor, and the principal. Do not stop hounding them until the meeting is set. Also, when you are in the meeting with the above demand a "mediation" meeting with the other child's parents and the child himself. Don't be afraid to tell the other parents that you will press legal charges if the behavior continues. Also, don't be afraid to threaten the school with legal action if some plan is not made to stop this behavior.

The problem with "fighting back" is this: Many schools are "zero tolerance" for violence and bullying. The child that gets caught is the child that gets disciplined. My daughter had an incident on the bus with another girl. Daily the girl would kick her, pinch her, try to trip her, or pull on her back pack as she went down the aisle. Well, one day must have been the wrong day, because my daughter kicked her back. Guess who the bus driver caught? Guess who was facing the suspension? I didn't know about any of the problems prior to this incidence. Luckily my girl is a quiet girl and had never been in trouble, and their were other kids to vouch for her, or she would have been suspended. We did all the things I said above. The teacher was not so helpful. The guidance counselor was great. The other parents a nightmare. But...after threatening legal action, it did all stop.

Good luck.

 

[Shmily1]

I would also call the police. Not just about this other kid, but about the kid's dad. He's an adult and should be punished for the abuse your DS took. Hmmm... I just wonder where this kid learned to be such a bully? Probably from that fine upstanding dad!!

 

[WantToGoNow]

I spoke to his teacher yesterday. There were other children on the playground that told the teacher what had happened before I did so the school knows that my son is telling the truth and that the child hit him. His parents were advised at their conference that if he touches my son (or any other) again, he would be expelled. We will wait to see if this helps.

 

[Bren's Mom]

OK, and so did the teacher/administrator that your child got 'in trouble' with using those bad words get an apology???? It sounds like they jumped the gun and punished your son before truly investigating what happened.

 

[DVC Sadie]

I spoke to his teacher yesterday. There were other children on the playground that told the teacher what had happened before I did so the school knows that my son is telling the truth and that the child hit him. His parents were advised at their conference that if he touches my son (or any other) again, he would be expelled. We will wait to see if this helps.

Thanks for the update and I hope the school follows through. I also hope your child never has to deal with that type of behavior again.

 

[happymommy]

I would still call the police and file a report. That way, if (and when) the other kid assaults your son again, there is a record of this. Also, I agree about having your son seen right away by a doctor to make a record of the injuries, however minor they may seem.

Good luck to you!

 

[Dopey19]

My husband is a teacher and based on experiences at his school I believe you should talk to the Prinicipal and Guidance Counselor. I read they have threatened to expell the student if he hits again but try to find out if the school has a police liason. This is an officer who is trained to talk to children and try to explain the legal ramifications of what they are doing. Being expelled is a joke to most students but have an officer, in full uniform explain to an 8-year old that you could be charged with assault and the tears start to flow. Bullying in most schools is a zero tolerance offense. Does your school enforce such policy and hold seminars on it? If not push for such action - I realize your son is the victim now but helping to improve the system will make it better for all. This same bully may just pick a different target in the future. Also continue to check with your son and make sure his self esteem is ok, you don't want him to go into a shell because of this.

Good luck!

 

[dfchelbay]

Sorry to be so blunt, but all it takes is one hit or fall to permanently injure your child. He could be hit in the head, shoved, or fall and strike his head on something and be brain damaged, or even die. We all make our children wear a helmet to protect their heads while riding their bikes. This, to me, if far more dangerous than falling from a bike. Your child is being violently shoved and punched. We had a child here locally that was shoved and fell, and hit is head on the ground. He lied in a vegetative state for about eight months, then died from his head injury.

Violence needs to be dealt with immediately. If your school is not going to punish the bullies, by suspending them, you need to involve the police. Perhaps putting the spotlight on the faculty for continuing to allow bullying in their school, will put a peaceful end to this bullying, instead of a violent one.