When Schools Respond To Bullying With Inaction, Legal Action Can Be Taken

This is a trailer for “Bully,” the recently released documentary that follows the lives of five students who face bullying on a daily basis. While there are many people who argue that bullying has been in existence for ages and is essentially just a part of life, technological advances have made it such that bullying now extends far beyond just the school grounds. In the age of Facebook and social media, bullying victims are subjected to torment that can be both more frequent and more aggressive.

There has been increased national attention given to this issue, and awareness was especially raised here in Ohio after a 17-year-old Chardon High School student shot and killed three students and seriously wounded two others this past February. He was reportedly a bullying victim.

It is important for parents to not only speak with their children about these issues, but also to take action if they suspect that their child is a victim of bullying. A New Jersey school board recently agreed to a $4.2 million settlement with one student who was paralyzed six years ago as a result of bullying. While the board of education in that case did not admit liability, the facts surrounding the case demonstrated that the student and his parents had made repeated efforts to notify school officials about the escalating bullying.

It is important for parents of bullied children to not only speak with teachers and school administrators, but also to document all correspondences. Furthermore, these parents should not be afraid to call police if an assault is physical, nor should they hesitate to speak to a local attorney if school officials are dismissive of their concerns. You should not wait until bullying results in a personal injury to take steps to protect your child.

Moore Law Firm – Cincinnati personal injury lawyers