QUESTION
What can I do if my son is being bullied by a kid in a private school?
Asked on Nov 01st, 2014 on Personal Injury - South Carolina
More details to this question:
My 8 year old son, Tanner, has been bullied by the same kid, Reid, for 3 years. The first year was in 1st grade. The other child has threatened to bring a loaded shot gun to school and shoot everyone. The child has bitten other kids in the class, brought a cap gun to school, he has told my other son “I’m going to kill you 1st because I don't like you" and saying that to other kids as well. At an Easter party last year, he pushed my child off a trampoline, my child, Tanner, fell on his arm. The latest event is Oct 6th, Reid physically hurt Tanner. I took him to the ER. This child, Reid has physically hurt Tanner several times. The school calls it “horseplay ". Nobody at the school takes this seriously and I don't understand. I have filed 2 police reports on the child also. The stress of this on me is getting to be too much. Can anyone help?
1 ANSWER
It is really rather surprising to hear of this situation. Bullying has become a high profile issue and is sometimes a precursor to more extreme forms of violence. You should try to make your complaint heard at a level in the school administration above where the issue has stalled. You have a contract with the school and you should reread that contract to find out what recourse you might have. If the school cannot and will not provide for your child's safety this might place the school in breach of contract. If you fail to follow your contract's requirements before acting to withdraw your child, then you might forfeit some rights or things which you would otherwise be entitled to receive (an appropriate appeals process, remedies which are specified, refund of tuition, etc.). To ensure that YOU do not breach the contract, you should take it to an attorney soon and discuss your options. It may be that you have one child enrolled and the problem child has siblings enrolled, too. You may be at a an economic disadvantage in relation to the family of the problem child. In any case, you are right to be concerned and it is disturbing to find the school so nonchalant about what is a serious issue.
Answered on Nov 05th, 2014 at 4:25 AM