Tag: u s department of education

Recently, I’ve seen a lot of different stories on t.v. and online about bullying and its devastating effects, not only on victims but, on their families as well.  Bullying isn’t really something new.  Like many other issues, the media and its wide reach help bring this problem to the forefront of society’s attention more today than in years’ past. 

Students who are disabled experience bullying at a higher rate than those who aren’t disabled.  That’s because they’re perceived as easier targets who can’t defend themselves.  When parents send their kids to school, they are under the impression that the kids are going somewhere safe, and that their child will not become the victim of a bully.

 For parents of disabled children there are a few avenues that can be utilized to help with this problem.  If your child is being taunted because of their disability, it could reach the level of disability harassment.  According to the U.S. Department of Education, disability harassment is “intimidation or abusive behavior toward a student based on disability that creates a hostile environment by interfering with or denying a student’s participation in or receipt of benefits, services, or opportunities in the institution’s program” (U.S. Department of Education 2000).

 It’s very important as parents to know what is going on at your child’s school and to have open communication with their 504 or IEP (Individual Education Plan) team (whichever applies to them).  This team isn’t only there to maximize your child’s learning experience but, also to make sure they receive the services and support they need to succeed in their studies.

If your child is having these types of issues at school, it wouldn’t only be hard for them to put forth their best efforts but, also hard to not worry about when the next time might be that they run into another issue with the person in question.  Also, if your child is being bullied, their IEP or 504 Team should be brought together in a meeting to see how the plan can be adjusted to address the issue.  At the same time, it is also very important that if you find your child in this situation, you proceed with caution in resolving the issue so that your actions don’t inadvertently make the situation worse.

All in all, slowly but surely, the issue of bullying is being addressed by schools.  The best thing we can do for our students is to take a proactive approach to help solve the issue if in fact it presents itself.

For more information, please visit:  http://www.stopbullying.gov/at-risk/groups/special-needs/BullyingTipSheet.pdf

Thanks for reading..

cr