An increasing number of students report they are bullied or are harassed in school or in cyberspace because of their race, color, national origin, ethnicity, sex, religion, or actual or perceived sexual orientation or disability. They describe their fear and anxiety in painful detail and the disruption this causes in their lives. Parents understandably are heartbroken and outraged when their children are bullied or harassed.
Federal and state civil rights laws generally require schools and colleges to investigate complaints of harassment and discrimination promptly and to take appropriate steps to prevent its reoccurrence.
Unfortunately, parents often receive inadequate information about how their child’s school plans to respond to their complaint. Many parents are also uncertain about the nature or extent of the school’s responsibilities to investigate bullying or harassment complaints, options available to help prevent such situations from reoccurring, and the school’s responsibility to help protect their child during and after an investigation is completed.
As a civil rights and safe schools consultant, I provide advice and guidance to parents of Massachusetts students, and strongly advocate for your child’s safety, as I did for many years as Assistant Attorney General and Civil Rights Division Chief in the Massachusetts Office of Attorney General.
I also provide interactive educational workshops and programs for parents, parent advisory councils, and Parent-Teacher Associations on how to advocate for and protect students from harassment, bullying, and cyberbullying.
For the past 18 years, parents have sought my assistance to understand their children’s rights and options and to help ensure that school administrators investigate and take appropriate steps to help make the school a safe place for their child to learn.
I look forward to working with you when your child is bullied or is harassed in school or a school-related activity.
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