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Bullied This page provides some
useful information about what to do if your
gay child is being bullied or vilified at
school.
Despite real advances in addressing
diversity in a theoretical way as part of
the Health and Physical Education syllabus,
gay children (or children perceived to be
gay) are still subject to unacceptable
behaviours by other children in the school
environment.
- Obtain as many specifics as possible from your child
(names, dates, words/phrases used, actions of others). Be aware that
bullying has become technologically more sophisticated and SMS messages to
your child's mobile phone, emails and websites may be being used in addition
to "in person" activities.
- Have your child start a
diary recording all instances with
details (keep a copy of the diary at
home in a safe place).
- Complain to the school
in writing (this is important). Include
the following in your letter...
- details of the
behaviours
- negative impacts of
these behaviours on your child and
his or her learning
- a reminder that the
school has a duty of care to provide
your child with a safe environment
conducive to learning
- a request that the
school take action to prevent any
further instance
- Should this not result in the school
taking successful action, write again to the school...
- enclose a copy of
the first letter and refer to it in
your follow-up letter
- point out that the
problem has not been fixed
- tell the school that
a diary record of the
bullying/vilification is being kept
- copy the letter to
the Minister for Education (if a
state school), the Chairperson of
the School Council (if an
independent school) or the Diocesan
Education Office (if a Catholic
School).
- If the response to your written
complaint is verbal, for example a phone call, take notes of
the conversation and then send a follow-up letter detailing
the discussion and the agreed course(s) of action. Make sure
you include date and time of the conversation, and the
parties involved in the conversation.
It is important that complaints are lodged
in writing because you have a record.
Schools are more likely to take written
complaints seriously. It is not a bad idea
to send such letters by registered post.
In
particular, the information that a diary is
being kept (such diaries can be used as
evidence) is likely to galvanise the school
into action to deal with the problem.
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