The New York City school district may be the largest public school system in the US, but it could be forced to pay tuition for a 12-year-old bullying victim to go to private school. Confused? The girl's family says the public school did nothing to protect their child from relentless torture at the hands of bullies, and a judge agrees.
I'm thinking this could be the best news we've gotten since bullying became the hot topic in education. Wait, let me be clear. It's bad news for school districts, but it's flat out awesome news for parents and kids.
Finally, we have some ammunition to use against the schools! Nobody likes to take a hit in the pocketbook, do they? Next time a principal wants to slap on their blinders when a bullying report comes in, they will have to think about what it could cost them.
I just wish this win for parents didn't have to come at a child's expense.
The stuff this poor girl (she's unnamed to protect her) went through at New York's PS 6 sounds pretty typical of school bullies. She has a learning disorder, and kids would mock her when she raised her hand. Kids called her "smelly" and "ugly." The methods of torture go on and on.
Kudos to her parents for pulling their daughter and putting her in private school to protect her. But they shouldn't have had to take it that far.
And yet, that's what happens all the time. I can't tell you how many parents I've talked to over the years who have found the school district's response to their kid being bullied is to pussyfoot around punishment. The bulk of stories I've heard center around passive-aggressive moves like sending a teacher in to talk to the "whole class" about bullying instead of punishing the specific kids. Some districts take their refusal to get involved to serious extremes -- punishing the parent who reports the bullies, for example. And then there's the ever-popular "blame the victim" for being bullied in the first place.
But if the largest public school district in the United States now has to pay private school tuition for failure to address bullying, it should put all the rest of them on notice. Ignore our kids' needs, and it could cost you big time.
What do you think should be done with school districts that fails to come down on bullies?
Image via shinealight/Flickr
Kim and Kanye's Baby Name Predictions!
Moms Love Birthday Parties, Too!
Father Knows Best - Happy Father's Day!
Are Cheaters Entitled to Privacy? - A...
Comments 38
I agree with Laura, up above. I don't know when calling someone smelly became "torture". Kids are mean - fuck, people are mean. Teach your children to stick up for themselves & to respect themselves. When I think of ACTUAL bullying that should not be tolerated, I think being harassed for your sexual orientation, religous beliefs, being disabled, and physical or sexual harassment. This "anti-bullying" movement is turning chlidren into wimps who will grow up thinking that everyone is nice. I will not be jumping on that boat with my daughter.
Schools need to take this issue more seriously, but they just don't seem to care. They set up little programs but they don't follow through. My so was being bullied and he took it through medaition. The teacher never made the boys show up, and the counselor was upset that my husband and I did. BUSTED! We were there, my son was there. Where were they? Two of their friends attacked my kid, but he kicked their a**es( SURPRISE!!) and he's the one that got into trouble. He was homescooled starting days after.
I wish these laws were around when I was a kid. I was the kid who was overweight, shy, and poor. So I never looked like those other kids. I had a ton of family issues bc my dad was physically abusive, so I always had issues connecting with other children. Some teachers were extra nice to me, so I loved school. But I graduated as soon as I could I always felt like an outsider. :( I am happy she is going to a private school. All schools should adopt and enforce ZERO TOLERANCE for bullying. Whether you agree with people or not, kids should not be forced to endure torture by their peers.
Something even worse. One of my son's friends was being sexually harrassed by another boy in the bathroon. He told the teacher and he got into trouble, not the little perve. The anti bullying movement is not turning kids into wimps. Children are dying because of this. You give a bully a foothold in messing with another kid, they'll take it further. If schools and parents don't take it seriously, things will only get worse and has. I taught my son not to fight, but when he needed to defend himself he could because he knew what he had to do. Bullying is what causes some to snap and they wind up killing others who didn't have a thing to do with it. So...Jessica Ann...because your kid isn't being bullied, you never know when she will get caught in the crossfire of someone who did. Columbine, Va Tech, etc. Think about it.
But I think the bullies' parents should have to cough up some dough also. Just my opinion
Billsfan1104, taking your child out of public school or any school does not stop bullying. Bullying has nothing to do with the school. It has to do with the bully. Bullies are just like dosmetic violence offenders, they pick on people who are not strong enough to defend themselves. You have never seen a bully pick on someone who will stand up to them. I was very quiet in school but I have never been bullied. I have a very fiesty attitude and a wreckless mouth. I wish someone would call themselves picking up on me. My mother taught me from a very young age that you do not tolerate people bothering you and you stand up for yourself. You teach your children to do that because bullying can happen in any school, college and the work place. I stood up to one of my bosses and I never had a problem with her again. You should never allow anyone to pick on you or make you feel less of a person.
Bullying itself should not be tolerated and parents of the bullies need to start paying for this. Too many children commit suicide yearly because of a bully. I teach my daughter now (at 4) that if someone hits her, pushes her or pick on her she better lay them out and not look back. Its called self defense in my book.
Nothing wrong with teaching a child how to stand up to a bully or defending themselves if they have to. Bullies have insecurity issues and sadly even some adults still enjoy bullying people (or their own kids). Personally I think those smart mouthed little brats could use some discipline.
I was bullied as a child and I am glad that the school district has to pay for a child to go to a school where they are safe. If you cant keep your student safe, then yes you should have to pay for it. If that means private school tution so be it. I also think there needs to be new laws that allow police to be involved in these kinds of things because as of now in NY even if a student want the police involved unless there is physical abuse that can be proved the school can tell the police it is a school issue and tell the police to leave.