Hi MintyPeas,
Found your thread! Sounds like you might be in the UK? Here in the NorthEast bullying is big news, as there have been a few suicides in recent months of teens who have been bullied (not to scare you...sorry!). Unfortunately, in the US it takes a few situations like that for legislators and school administrators (of which I am one) to take it more seriously. In my experience, each team of school administrators treats bullying differently.
Some concrete suggestions: Have your daughter start a journal. She should write down exactly what was said, the date and time it was said, where it occurred, body tone and voice, and most importantly: witnesses. Tell her not to flaunt the journal, just keep it quietly for you and other administrators. Showing it or telling the bullying girls about it can be inflammatory. Don't give it to others, you can give them copies, or keep a copy for your own records.
If you don't get action, I agree with others, a visit to the police. If the girls come back to your house, document it with a camera and video camera. Take screen shots of offending websites so that you can preserve the information. Essentially, you will need documentation.
Also, advise your daughter to not respond to the students who bully her. That can really muddy the waters for police/administrators who are trying to figure out exactly what happened. Have her be calm and walk away if possible.
Have her set up a buddy system so that she always has a friend or two to walk with her in school, from class to class, in the lunchroom, etc. They will become witnesses too.
As a final resort, an attorney can be very helpful. I don't see why your child should have to change schools because the adults in the building can't protect her. Again, I can't emphasize enough how important it is that your daughter not engage/respond to the other girls. Remember: that is why those girls are bullying her: it's entertainment for them, they want a reaction. If she doesn't give it to them, she becomes boring, and they move along to another potential source of entertainment. She has to learn to hide her emotional response in front of them (something we all learn to do as adults anyway.)
Best of luck! Don't give up.
(p.s.--some context for above advice: I have a PhD in educational administration, 15 years experience as a MS and HS teacher, and 10 years experience as a school administrator...don't add all those years up though...some are concurrent!
Found your thread! Sounds like you might be in the UK? Here in the NorthEast bullying is big news, as there have been a few suicides in recent months of teens who have been bullied (not to scare you...sorry!). Unfortunately, in the US it takes a few situations like that for legislators and school administrators (of which I am one) to take it more seriously. In my experience, each team of school administrators treats bullying differently.
Some concrete suggestions: Have your daughter start a journal. She should write down exactly what was said, the date and time it was said, where it occurred, body tone and voice, and most importantly: witnesses. Tell her not to flaunt the journal, just keep it quietly for you and other administrators. Showing it or telling the bullying girls about it can be inflammatory. Don't give it to others, you can give them copies, or keep a copy for your own records.
If you don't get action, I agree with others, a visit to the police. If the girls come back to your house, document it with a camera and video camera. Take screen shots of offending websites so that you can preserve the information. Essentially, you will need documentation.
Also, advise your daughter to not respond to the students who bully her. That can really muddy the waters for police/administrators who are trying to figure out exactly what happened. Have her be calm and walk away if possible.
Have her set up a buddy system so that she always has a friend or two to walk with her in school, from class to class, in the lunchroom, etc. They will become witnesses too.
As a final resort, an attorney can be very helpful. I don't see why your child should have to change schools because the adults in the building can't protect her. Again, I can't emphasize enough how important it is that your daughter not engage/respond to the other girls. Remember: that is why those girls are bullying her: it's entertainment for them, they want a reaction. If she doesn't give it to them, she becomes boring, and they move along to another potential source of entertainment. She has to learn to hide her emotional response in front of them (something we all learn to do as adults anyway.)
Best of luck! Don't give up.
(p.s.--some context for above advice: I have a PhD in educational administration, 15 years experience as a MS and HS teacher, and 10 years experience as a school administrator...don't add all those years up though...some are concurrent!
, hope you can get it all sorted out hun, my thoughts are with you x
