Bullying and Teasing

Bullying among children is commonly defined as intentional, repeated hurtful acts, words or other behavior, such as name-calling, threatening and/or shunning committed by one or more children against another. These negative acts are not intentionally provoked by the victims, and for such acts to be defined as bullying, an imbalance in real or perceived power must exist between the bully and the victim.

Here are some facts to consider:

  • 30 percent of children are involved in bullying, as bullies or victims.
  • 15 percent of children are severely traumatized or distressed by bullies.
  • 8 percent of children are victimized at school at least once a week.
  • Disabled kids are more likely to be bullied than nondisabled kids. (Source: Northwest Regional Educational Laboratory)

Bullying may be physical, verbal, or emotional. For example:

  • Physical bullying includes punching, poking, strangling, hair pulling, beating, biting and excessive tickling.
  • Verbal bullying includes such acts as hurtful name-calling, teasing and gossip.
  • Emotional bullying includes rejecting, terrorizing, extorting, defaming, humiliating, blackmailing, rating/ranking of personal characteristics such as race, disability, ethnicity, or perceived sexual orientation, manipulating friendships, isolating, ostracizing and peer pressure.

What are my child’s legal rights?
 Nondiscrimination in Education (California Education Code, section 220) No person shall be subjected to discrimination on the basis of sex, ethnic group identification, race, national origin, religion, color, mental or physical disability, or any basis that is contained in the prohibition of hate crimes set forth in subdivision (a) of Section 422.6 of the Penal Code in any program or activity conducted by an educational institution that receives, or benefits from, state financial assistance or enrolls pupils who receive state student financial aid.

Who should I tell about the harassment and teasing that is happening?
Start with your child’s teacher but be sure to include the lead administrator at your child’s school: i.e.; principal If this doesn’t work to resolve the issues, you may also contact your director of special education for the district.

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