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
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Comments 38
There is no room for bullies. It is hard enough for kids these days without the added crap from kids with tudes that think they are better, when in all actuality, bullies are some of the most insecure kids at school and they only feel better when they can pick on other kids that may be "different
'
You have never seen a bully pick on someone who will stand up to them.
that's great, except schools often let the bullying slide, or don't bother punishing them, but DO punish kids who stand up for themselves. I imagine this is the case because sometimes the bully is emulating asshat parents, and the school has given up on trying to work with their parents to improve the situation.
a standard policy these days is for anyone who is "involved in" a fight to be suspended, regardless of whether they were in instigator or it was self defense. the bully won't care about their already tarnish record, so the only person hurt is the victim who will now have fighting on their school record.
Children are required by law to receive an education; therefore, I believe there is a duty on the part of the school to protect children while they are RESPONSIBLE for their care. I am glad that the judge found in favor of the child because schools are just as responsible for their emotional care and their physical care as they are for their intellectual care. If children cannot rely upon the adults in the schools to step in and put a stop to bullying at school, then the courts are their only alternative and this one has spoken loudly and clearly about the school's obligation.
My son is about to start Kindergarten this fall and I do worry about the problems with bullying. The affects it has on children and their education is tremendous! What scares me the most is how I will handle my child being bullyied while the school system stands by and does NOTHING. Trust me when I say this, "I am by no means a passive parent!" I will stand up for my child and for what is right. All I can do is pray to God that we do not experience this. On the other note I will do my part as a parent to see that my son is NOT one of those kids doing the bullying!
look im about to be hated but if your kids cant handle some bullies in school good luck in the real world! you pull your kids out its your choice you just showed your kid how to run away and never face a problem and how to be a drain on society so let me thank you since your now taking away from other children education and using tax money because you failed to teach your kid how to have thick skin!
being a kid is hard i was not popular i was made fun of and was a outcast but i lived you are there for school its over before you know it. violence happens you dont condone it but you dont sue the school its not tier faults its the parents on both sides! just bring back the beatings in school already god your little ass holes might listen and learn some thing!
awesome :-) I could only hope my DD never gets bullied as I am sure most parents are like this .... but there are kids everyday that I think need attention and caring so this does not happed to others.
Seriously a bit of teasing is not torture. I was teased constantly in school for a haircut, wearing dresses, my period starting in school and wearing light colored pants, etc. This zero tolerance is rewarding kids for being tattle tales and guess what bullying doesn't go away magically outside of school. You really think their future boss is going want to hear when anyone says anything negative to them? These kids won't be able to function in customer service jobs.
I taught in private schools for years. Bullying happens. The kindest school that i ever taught in was a high crime, low income, Charter school who worked with the most troubled kids in Trenton, NJ. Go figure...