What to do when your Child is being Bullied by a Teacher

It might be one of the worst things for parents; finding out that your child is being bullied, and even worse is for the bully to be the teacher.

Recently, Mercy Johnson’s daughter has been the topic of being a victim. A victim of being bullied by a teacher. While this particular case has gained popularity as a result of social media; it is clear that it is not so rare. There have been many parents who have shared their own experiences with the same issue.

There are certain things parents need to keep in mind if a child is being bullied by a teacher. So what can you really do if the school bully is your child’s teacher?

A screenshot of Mercy Johnson’s Instagram post

There are a lot of amazing teachers who give their all to be good teachers and even mentors to your children, but the sad truth is… there are teachers who do not handle their responsibilities well and even some teachers who bully their students. Instead of using proper discipline procedures or effective classroom management techniques, they use their power to condemn, manipulate or ridicule students.

When the bullying is physical, most parents do not hesitate to report incidents. But, when the bullying is emotional or verbal, parents are not sure what to do. They fear making things worse for their child. While this concern is valid, it is never a good idea to ignore bullying.

Here are some ways to address Bullying by Teachers

Document All Bullying Incidents

Record everything that happens including dates, times, witnesses, actions, and consequences. Let your child know that you are going to address this and ask them for specific examples that you can use with when and where. Such as if there have been verbal comments that have left your child feeling humiliated. For instance, if the teacher berates your child in front of the class be sure to write down the date, the time, what was said, and which students were present. If other students participate in the bullying as a result of the teacher’s actions, be sure to include that information too.

Talk With Your Child First

It is never a good idea to have a meeting with a teacher or principal without telling your child. Doing so can embarrass kids if they find out about the situation after going to school. Additionally, kids need to be prepared emotionally if the meeting does not go well and the teacher retaliates. Never do anything regarding this situation without touching base with your child first.

Consider Meeting With the Teacher

Depending on the severity and frequency of the bullying, you may want to go directly to the teacher. Many times, a teacher meeting will resolve the problem if you take a cooperative approach when discussing the situation. Try to keep an open mind and listen to the teacher’s perspective. Avoid screaming, accusing, blaming, and threatening to sue. Instead, allow the teacher to talk.

Consider Meeting With the Teacher

Depending on the severity and frequency of the bullying, you may want to go directly to the teacher. Many times, a teacher meeting will resolve the problem if you take a cooperative approach when discussing the situation. Try to keep an open mind and listen to the teacher’s perspective. Avoid screaming, accusing, blaming, and threatening to sue. Instead, allow the teacher to talk.

Bullying teacher

Take it up the chain of command

If the situation doesn’t improve or the bullying is severe in nature, make sure you go to the teacher’s supervisor or the school’s administrator. Sometimes teachers will rationalize their behaviour, blame the student, or refuse to admit any wrongdoing. Other times, bullying is much too severe to risk speaking with a teacher directly. If this is the case, ask to meet with the principal in person. Share your documentation and discuss your concerns. You also could request a classroom transfer at this point.

Ask for a copy of the school’s complaint policy and follow the necessary steps and follow up everything you can in writing so you have a record of all communication and responses. If you feel you have a genuine concern and the headteacher hasn’t been able to resolve it then make a complaint to the school owner or proprietor.

It is much better to try to sort the problem out diplomatically at a much earlier stage, where possible because your child is likely to have contact with a teacher over a number of years. Be open to hearing what the school has to say, as there may be a behaviour issue in the classroom that you were not aware of, so getting all the facts from both the child and the school is important. Try not to overreact and stay calm when speaking to the school. It is normally a good idea to get things on a more formal footing anyway which can carry more weight

Do Not Let Bullying Go on Indefinitely

If the principal, superintendent, or school board drags their feet in responding to you, then consider getting legal counsel. In the meantime, investigate other options for your child like a transfer to another school, private school, homeschooling, and online programs.

Leaving your child in a bullying situation can have dire consequences. Make every effort to either end the bullying or remove your child from the situation. Never assume the bullying will end without intervention nor should you expect that your child will get over it or be fine.

Never assume the bullying will end without intervention nor should you expect that your child will get over it or be fine. Click To Tweet

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 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.

For more on how to deal with bullying by teachers visit bullying.co.uk here 

Read also: 10 Signs that your child is being bullied and How to Bully-Proof your Child

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