What to Do If Your Child Is Being Bullied at School
When your child is being bullied, the instinct is to call the school and expect it to be handled. Sometimes it is. Often, it is not handled the way parents expect.
Massachusetts law is actually very specific about what schools must do once bullying is reported. Understanding those obligations can help you advocate more effectively and recognize when a school is falling short.
Step 1: Report the Bullying (and Put It in Writing)
The first step is making a report to the school. This can be to a teacher, principal, or another staff member, but you should always follow up in writing. Send an email that clearly says you are reporting bullying and briefly describe what happened, including dates, witnesses, and any prior incidents.
Under Massachusetts law, schools are required to have formal procedures for receiving and responding to bullying reports. (603 CMR 49.00: M.G.L. 71, §37O)
That means once you report it, the school cannot ignore it or treat it informally.
Step 2: The School Must Investigate Promptly
Once a report is made, the school has an obligation to promptly respond and investigate.
The regulations require schools to:
Receive reports of bullying
Promptly investigate those reports
Determine whether bullying or retaliation occurred (603 CMR 49.03)
This is not optional. A school cannot delay indefinitely or decide not to investigate because the situation seems minor.
What this should look like in practice:
Interviews with your child and other students
Review of any written or electronic evidence
Communication from the school during the process
Step 3: The School Must Take Action If Bullying Is Found
If the school determines that bullying occurred, it must take steps to stop it and prevent it from happening again.
Massachusetts law requires schools to have procedures for responding to incidents of bullying or retaliation. (603 CMR 49.03)
This can include:
Safety planning for your child
Disciplinary action for the aggressor
Changes to schedules, supervision, or placement
Importantly, the law is not satisfied by simply “talking to the students.” The response must be meaningful enough to address the problem.
Step 4: Parents Must Be Notified
Once the school makes a determination, the principal is required to notify parents.
Specifically:
Parents of both the target and the aggressor must be notified
The school must explain the outcome and its response
The school must inform the target’s parent of steps being taken to prevent further bullying (603 CMR 49.04)
Notice must also be provided in the family’s primary language. (603 CMR 49.04)
Step 5: In Some Cases, Police Must Be Notified
If the bullying could involve criminal conduct, the school may also be required to notify law enforcement.
The regulations specifically include notification to law enforcement when criminal charges may be pursued. (603 CMR 49.05)
This often comes up in cases involving:
Physical assault
Threats of violence
Harassment involving protected classes
Location
Many parents are told, “This didn’t happen at school, so we can’t do anything.”
That is not always correct.
Massachusetts law requires schools to address bullying even outside of school if it:
Creates a hostile environment at school
Infringes on the student’s rights at school, or
Disrupts the school environment (603 CMR 49.03)
This includes online bullying in many situations.
What If the School Is Not Doing These Things?
If the school is not responding appropriately, you have options:
Follow up in writing and document everything
Request a copy of the school’s bullying prevention and intervention plan
Escalate concerns to the superintendent
Consider filing a complaint or seeking legal advice
If your child has a disability, bullying can also trigger additional obligations under special education law, including the need to revisit the IEP.
Most schools want to get this right, but compliance varies widely in practice. Parents who understand the legal framework are in a much stronger position to push for real action when their child needs it most.