If It's Left to You, these are the Steps You Can Take
The Box and Interview method is my recommended method and the relevant steps to stop bullying behaviour are described under that heading but in the absence of a system such as the one described in the Box and Interview method the following are the steps that a victim of bullying or a victim's parents are advised to take when bullying has been uncovered
REMEMBER, the vast majority of teachers, Principals and Boards of
Management want to know if bullying is happening in their schools and
they want to help stop it.
Unfortunately, there are exceptions to this rule, and sadly I
must add: Do not expect that the Steps will always work. if you are
unfortunate to be the one encountering an unhelpful teacher, Principal
or Board of Management, Department officials or Minister for
Education, after you have taken these steps, you may have no further
alternative but The
Sixth Unwanted
but necessary Step (see below). Or, when your
position is absolutely hopeless, you may have to embark on the
legal route. This could be very expensive and you might need
support from a Parents Association.
If as a result of the bullying, you or your child must miss school, be sure to inform the Principal and your local Schools attendance officer. You may find in this officer a useful help in stopping the bullying. Good luck.
Primary School
STEP 1: First, you go to the class teacher, inform of the bullying and ask for help.
Tell the class teacher that the matter is urgent. (Remember that all cases of bullying are urgent)
STEP 2:If you are not happy with the response, you go to the Principal, and again tell of the bullying and repeat your urgent request for help.
STEP 3:If not happy with the Principal's response and action you write to the Chairperson of the Board of Management, again informing of the bullying, of your efforts so far to have it stopped and requesting urgent help.
Be sure to include in that letter the details of your approach to the class teacher and Principal and emphasise that the matter is urgent. (All bullying is an urgent matter).
STEP 4:If you are still not happy (i.e. if the bullying has not
stopped and you are not satisfied that it will not re-surface), you
write to Primary Administration
Section 2, the Department of Education
and Science, (Anti-Bullying) Cornamaddy, Athlone, Co. Westmeath,
requesting that a school inspector investigate your complaint.
In your letter outline your complaint and detail the efforts you
made to solve the problem and how they have failed.
Ask for urgent help to stop the bullying
It is very important that you write in that letter also, or in a separate note, that you are giving them permission to send a copy of your letter to the Board of Management.
This will save you time
STEP 5: You may complain to the Ombudsman for Children (email at
oco@oco.ie or phone 1890 654 654
STEP 6: (See below "The Sixth Unwanted
but necessary Step")
Post-primary (Secondary) Schools
STEP 1:First, you go to the class teacher, form teacher or Anti-bullying co-ordinator if there is one, inform of the bullying and ask for help.Tell this teacher that the matter is urgent. (Remember that all cases of bullying are urgent)
STEP 2: If you are not happy with the response, you go to the Principal, and again tell of the bullying and repeat your urgent request for help.
STEP 3: If not happy with the Principal's response and action, you write to the Chairperson of the Board of Management.
Be sure to include in that letter the details of your approach to the form teacher and Principal and again mention that the matter is urgent. (All bullying is an urgent matter).
STEP 4: If you are still not happy (i.e. if the bullying has not stopped and you are not satisfied that it will not re-surface), you write to the Department of Education (Anti-bullying co-ordinator) Portlaoise Road, Tullamore Co Offaly requesting that a school inspector investigate your complaint.
In your letter tell of your complaint and outline the efforts you
made to solve the problem and how your efforts have failed
Ask for the Department's help to solve the problem urgently
It is very important that you write in that letter also, or in a separate note, that you are giving them permission to send a copy of your letter to the Board of Management.
This will save you time
STEP 5: You may complain to the Ombudsman for Children (email at
oco@oco.ie or phone 1890 654 654
Post-primary (Vocational) Schools
There are 33 Vocational Education Committees in Ireland and although
these do not come directly under the control of the Department of
Education, schools are encouraged to develop their own methods to
prevent bullying following the Department's Guidelines. STEP 1:First, you go to the class teacher, form teacher or Anti-bullying co-ordinator if there is one, inform of the bullying and ask for help.
Tell this teacher that the matter is urgent. (Remember that all cases of bullying are urgent)
STEP 2: If you are not happy with the response, you go to the Principal, and again tell of the bullying and repeat your urgent request for help.
STEP 3: If not happy with the Principal's response and action, you
write to the Chairperson of the Board
of Management.
STEP 4: If you are still not happy (i.e. if the bullying has not
stopped and you are not satisfied that it will not re-surface), you
write to the Chief Executive Officer
(CEO) of your local Vocational Education Committee. (There
are 33 different CEOs in Ireland. The relevant details of the one you
need can be obtained from IVEA, Mc Cann House, Donnybrook,
D4. email: ivea@indigo.ie )
In your letter tell of your complaint and outline the efforts you
made to solve the problem and how these efforts have failed
Ask for help to solve the problem urgently
It is very important that you write in that letter
also, or in a separate note, that you are giving the CEO permission to
send a copy of your letter to the Board of Management.This will save
you time
STEP 5: You may complain to the Ombudsman for Children (email: oco@oco.ie or phone 1890 654 654)
The sixth (unwanted but necessary) Step
Unfortunately, it will happen from time to time that these five steps are taken by parents or victims in both Primary and Post-primary schools and THEY FAIL.
Then, the necessary but unwanted step comes into place:
STEP 6: I recommend that you remove the victim from the school where she or he is being bullied.
This is a very serious step to take but in my opinion of vital importance.
You have taken the required steps and the system has let you down. Now, you should act in the best interests of your child, if you are the parent, or in your own interests if you are the victim.
There will be many different factors to take into account such as distance from a new school, distance from friends, availability of a school, change of some text books, arranging safe modes of transport etc. as well as trauma. But the welfare of your child or of yourself is of primary importance
You should try to ensure that the new school has a strong
anti-bullying policy
The agreement of the victim should be obtained before this very difficult step is taken by parents, and I think you should advise the teachers concerned, the Principal, the Board of Management, the Department of Education and the Ombudsman for Children that your child (or you yourself) had to change school because of the failure of the system to stop the bullying behaviour
To help ensure that the same failure will not re-occur in the new
school, you should send copies of this advisement to the Minister for
Education and Science, Spokespersons for Education and Science in the
different Opposition parties and deputies or Senators who have voiced
concern about school bullying in the past.(See News section)
I would appreciate it if you would also let me know that you had
to take this "Sixth Step"
If you need my moral support in taking the different steps, or help with writing letters etc, free of charge, please contact me.
My email address is: justinmorahan@eircom.net
Back to:
Box and Interview (Appendix 2)
Next: Signs
of being a victim of bullying
contents
(This Page last edited: 6 November 2006)