Should School Districts Be Held Accountable For Bullying?

[Cafe MichelleP]

Public School Forced to Pay for Bullied Girl's Private Tuition

Posted by Jeanne Sager

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.

Do you think this school/district should be held accountable?

What do you think should be done with school districts that fail to come down on bullies?

[stuswf]

Hmmm, I don't know.....I just believe that parents need to hold their children accountable for their actions!

[TempestRayne]

I absolutely agree with this. I think that if a school systen refuses to deal with bullies should have the administration replaced.

[psych_mom]

I absolutely think that the school district should have to pay. These kids were bullying and they refused to deal with it. Yes, these kids parents also needed to discipline them, but if the schools were not doing anything to let the parents know what was going on, how did they know they their kids were being brats and terrorizing another child. I have been to school functions where the bullies have behaved perfect in front of their parents. I think that this should send a loud message to schools every where that they need to step up, get programs into place to stop this crap and do it now or they will be forking over a lot more money in the future for these type of issues.

[JMKristy]

I agree. If the school isn't doing anything they should have to pay!! I feel it is their responsibility to protect our children while they are there.

[Barabell]

I thought a lot of larger school districts had programs or schools specifically for "problem" students, which usually is where the severe bullies go to. I know my son had a classmate that had some issues, and I heard that classmate eventually went to that particular school in our district. He wasn't a bully, but he had some learning and discipline issues that made him incredibly distracting for the other kids in the classroom.

[bupkie]

Quoting psych_mom:

I absolutely think that the school district should have to pay. These kids were bullying and they refused to deal with it. Yes, these kids parents also needed to discipline them, but if the schools were not doing anything to let the parents know what was going on, how did they know they their kids were being brats and terrorizing another child. I have been to school functions where the bullies have behaved perfect in front of their parents. I think that this should send a loud message to schools every where that they need to step up, get programs into place to stop this crap and do it now or they will be forking over a lot more money in the future for these type of issues.

This, EXACTLY!     To those who say that the parents are responsible, psych hits it on the head.   There are many different types of bullies.  Many are so cunning and sneaky that they play completely innocent to the parents - having them wrapped around their fingers.   I've seen MANY cases of it... the Jeckly and Hyde classic case.  The puss-n-boots eyes... turns around and whips out the devil fork...     Many times the apple doesn't fall far from the tree either.    

The school is responsible for what they LET HAPPEN to children on their property while they are supervising the children.  Just like you are responsible for what you let happen in your home.   Codes of conduct need to be followed by everyone, students, staff, and everyone needs to be pulling their weight.... and supervising the children...    Staff needs to stop letting the bullying happening.  If there is consequences, you bet they'd stop it. 

[Refurbished]

I think most school districts feel the same as everyone else about bullying, but they are too afraid that any action they take will land them in court.  Child bullies have adult bullies for parents, who are probably most likely to hire a laywer. 

[M4LG5]

Quoting bupkie:

Quoting psych_mom:

I absolutely think that the school district should have to pay. These kids were bullying and they refused to deal with it. Yes, these kids parents also needed to discipline them, but if the schools were not doing anything to let the parents know what was going on, how did they know they their kids were being brats and terrorizing another child. I have been to school functions where the bullies have behaved perfect in front of their parents. I think that this should send a loud message to schools every where that they need to step up, get programs into place to stop this crap and do it now or they will be forking over a lot more money in the future for these type of issues.

This, EXACTLY!     To those who say that the parents are responsible, psych hits it on the head.   There are many different types of bullies.  Many are so cunning and sneaky that they play completely innocent to the parents - having them wrapped around their fingers.   I've seen MANY cases of it... the Jeckly and Hyde classic case.  The puss-n-boots eyes... turns around and whips out the devil fork...     Many times the apple doesn't fall far from the tree either.    

The school is responsible for what they LET HAPPEN to children on their property while they are supervising the children.  Just like you are responsible for what you let happen in your home.   Codes of conduct need to be followed by everyone, students, staff, and everyone needs to be pulling their weight.... and supervising the children...    Staff needs to stop letting the bullying happening.  If there is consequences, you bet they'd stop it. 

I agree as well.  I do think there needs to be something in place.

[psych_mom]

I have seen both though... I have seen bully parents where the kids are terrified. I have seen parents that are great parents and have bullies for kids and not even realize that their kids are bullies until it is too late and then I have seen what you are talking about. Sometimes a kid becomes a bully when they are being bullied by another child that is older, sometimes it is as a way of protecting themselves from something bad that is going on. There are several reasons that kids bully and it helps to get to the bottom of it.

Quoting Refurbished:

I think most school districts feel the same as everyone else about bullying, but they are too afraid that any action they take will land them in court.  Child bullies have adult bullies for parents, who are probably most likely to hire a laywer. 

[bupkie]

Quoting Refurbished:

I think most school districts feel the same as everyone else about bullying, but they are too afraid that any action they take will land them in court.  Child bullies have adult bullies for parents, who are probably most likely to hire a laywer. 

Parents of bullies aren't any less likely to hire a lawyer than parents of children who have been bullied.   Most likely, the child who has been bullied is going to win... so the schools should wise up and realise that... they aren't doing themselves any favors by giving in to parents of bullies.