What To Do When Your Kid is Being Bullied By a Teacher

Teachers are there to help your kid achieve in life. This is what majority of teachers do but your kid may encounter bad ones. These teachers do not know how to handle their responsibilities and abuse their power. Instead of using their power to help groom your kids to better people, these teachers bully them. They use their power to condemn, manipulate or ridicule students.  These teachers have no excuse for such behavior and they should know that what they are doing isn’t right and can affect their students negatively.

In the event that the bullying is physical, most parents do not hesitate to report incidents. But, when it is emotional and psychological bullying, it is often hard for parents to know what to do. They are also scared that they might make a wrong move and since this involves an adult that is the teacher, one cannot just start accusing teachers without the ability to prove. Well, even though it is good to be cautious, do not let it keep you from taking the right steps. Do not ignore the assumption that your child is being bullied by a teacher but make sure you follow the steps below to solve the problems.

Steps to take when your kid is being bullied by a teacher

1. Document everything

From the first moment it comes to your attention that your kid is being bullied by his or her teacher, you need to document all activities hence forth. These would mean that you write down dates, times, witnesses, actions and consequences of the teacher bullying activities. Example, if the teacher beats your kid in front of the class, make sure you write down the date, time and what was said and the students that were present. Write down the names of any other person that participated in the bullying as a result of the teacher’s actions and be sure to add their information too. Note that you should report to the police immediately if the bullying is based on physical, cyberbullying or harassment based on race or disability. Depending on the law that governs where you live, some of these acts are considered crimes.

2. Reassure and support your child

Talk to your kid and let him or her open up to you. If they do, then you must be very caring and supportive because it is most probable that the bullying would have an effect on their self-esteem. Listen to what they have to say and ask about their opinion on the matter. Always remember, your first priority is to help your child to get over bullying. Do not hesitate to get help by taking them to a counselor. You could also get your kid evaluated by a pediatrician to check for any sign of depression, anxiety issues, and sleep problems.

3. Build your child’s self-esteem

You may have the courage to face the bully because you are a parent and not a victim. When dealing with your kids, try to understand what they are going through. Tell them that they have the strength and encourage them to focus on other kinds of activities that they love. You might even try to cheer them up by taking them to places or doing certain activities together. Make them see that there are other things to be happy about and this will help build resilience.

4. Talk with your child first

Do not have a meeting with the teacher or principal without telling your child. This is because; your kid can get embarrassed when they find out about the situation after the fact. You might never know the outcome of the meeting because sometimes, teachers actually stop bullying while others keep it up. So, your kid is not prepared mentally for retaliation and this can really damage him or her. Do not do anything regarding the situation without agreeing with your kid or letting your kid know all the moves you planning.

5. Follow the chain of command

This is one of the reasons why it is always good for parents to know their kids’ administration. This helps you to know who is responsible for handling different matters. When it comes to reporting matters to people in positions, always remember that the closer people are to the problem, the more likely they will be able to take swift, effective action. So, don’t rush all the way to the top but exhaust all other offices first and if they still do not do anything, then you can now go to the top. If you have evidence that has been documented like I said earlier, then it would be hard for those at the top to ignore you.

6. Think of having a meeting with the teacher

This might be hard to do because of the charging emotion but apart from cases of severe and frequent bullying, talking to the teacher may work. However, this type of conversation must be cooperative and there should not be screaming, accusing, blaming or threatening noises. Instead, keep an open mind and listen to the teachers perspective and allow them to talk. I would suggest that this is done at an earlier stage of bullying but if a parent cannot control their emotion, it is best to avoid confronting the teacher. While it is important to express your concerns, be sure you also allow others to engage in the conversation. For instance, if your child seems to be afraid in class, mention this fact. Then ask the teacher what might be going on. This step allows teachers to talk about what they see. Additionally, teachers are less likely to get defensive if you are open to hearing their perspective.

7. Take your complaint higher

If the situation does not improve or the bullying is severe in nature, just make sure that you to the teacher’s supervisor or the building administrator. It is natural for people to be defensive, so do not take it personally when a teacher tries to blame your kid or refuses to admit to doing any wrong. As I said earlier, when the bullying is too severe do not risk talking with the teacher directly.

You may meet with the principal in person and table your matter. Make sure to present the documented evidence that you have and to discuss your concerns and what you would like to see being done. You could request a classroom transfer too if it is possible, principals may honor your request but some may not. Unfortunately, some principals will let teachers who bully go unchallenged or deny that bullying is taking place. If this is the case, it is time to file a formal complaint with the superintendent or the school board. Keep good records of all your communications including e-mails, letters, and documentation of telephone calls.

8. Do not let bullying go on indefinitely

If the principal, superintendent or school board do not do anything about it or respond to you, you could consider getting a legal counsel. However, you could try and get any other school that he or she could attend. It could be a private school or you might even homeschool him or her. In this tech-savvy world, there are many online classes that kids could take. Just make sure never to leave your kids at the mercy of bullies no matter the situation. Make an effort to put an end to the bullying or just take your kid far away from it. Finally, do not think the bullying will end on its own or ask your kid to man up and bear it. This will have serious consequences on your kid so do the right thing and help them out.

Overall, bullying by a teacher can be scary and overwhelming for students, especially because of the power that teachers have in the classroom. As a result, do not delay in taking action on behalf of your child. And don’t stop fighting for your child even if you do not get immediate results. With persistence, you will make the situation better for your child and then the healing can begin.