Bullying & Harassment Law

Bullying means an intentional electronic, written, verbal or physical act or series of acts that is severe, persistent or pervasive and interferes with a student’s education, creating a threatening environment, or substantially disrupting the operation of the school.

 

Bullying includes actions such as making threats, spreading rumors, attacking someone physically or verbally, and intentionally excluding someone from a group. Bullying can occur because of a child’s physical or learning disability, sexual orientation, race, or other categories protected by the law.

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Generally, children who are bullied have one or more of the following risk factors:

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• Are perceived as “different” from their peers

• Are perceived as weak or unable to defend themselves

• Are depressed, anxious, or have low self esteem

• Are less "popular" than others and have few friends

• May not get along well with others or have a history of antagonizing others for attention

 

School staff, parents, and other adults must play an important role in preventing and properly responding to all forms of bullying. All public schools are required to have a bullying policy, and Pennsylvania law provides protection to all students who are subject to school bullying. If a student with a disability is being bullied, federal law requires schools to take immediate and appropriate action to investigate the issue and take the necessary steps to stop the bullying and prevent it from recurring.

 

Regardless of whether the student is being bullied based on a disability, schools must remedy the effects of bullying and the interference with the special education services that the student with a disability receives to ensure the student continues to receive a free appropriate public education.

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Attorney Rankin has the ability to work cooperatively and collaboratively with school districts, using her knowledge, expertise, and experience to achieve effective resolutions for all clients.

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Contact Rankin Legal by either calling (412) 212-8356 or emailing aimee@rankinlegalpa.com