Bullying and Cyberbullying with Teenagers in Connecticut

Bullying is when one student, or a group of students, uses their power to hurt or reject another student or group. Bullying can take many forms. It can be done by physical act (hitting, kicking, pushing), by spoken word (name calling, threatening, taunting), or in writing (spreading harmful rumors or gossip). Bullying can be done through exclusion from the group or an activity, by damage to a student’s belongings or property, or through an obscene gesture.

Cyberbullying is a specific form of bullying where a hurtful message or harmful material is communicated by text message, email, or online posting using a cell phone or the internet. Cyberbullying is particularly popular among teenagers.

Regardless of how it is accomplished, bullying is a real problem among teenagers. Bullying can have extremely harmful effects on the victim. Some teens have been driven to mental health breakdowns and suicide as a result of bullying.

What Should I Do When My Teen is Bullied?

If you are the parent of a teenager who is bullied, you and your teen have legal rights:

  • You have the right to report the incident to the school.
  • You have the right to be involved in any action taken by school officials in response to your report.
  • You have the right to speak for your teenager.
  • The school has a duty to take your report seriously and to follow up with an investigation.

If you feel that school officials are ignoring or unfairly dismissing your bullying complaint, you should seek legal representation to make sure that your rights under Connecticut’s anti-bullying laws are enforced.

What Should I Do If My Teenager is Accused of Bullying Another Student?

If you are the parent of a teenager who has been accused of bullying, you are in a difficult situation. Your teenager faces both school discipline and prosecution in the juvenile or criminal courts. Common school sanctions can include mandatory counseling, loss of extracurricular activities, detention, suspension, and in the most-severe cases, expulsion.

(1)  Your teenager should not speak to school officials about the incident.

School officials may try to speak to your teenager about the reported incident. Your teenager does not have to talk to them. You should let your teenager know that they do not have to speak to anyone from the school (principal, official, or teacher). And don’t be fooled: Anything that your teen says to the school officials will be reported to the police.

If your teen does talk, the school officials may immediately sanction your teen (suspension, etc.), and may also refer the matter to the police for arrest. Even if your teenager does not talk, the school officials may still sanction your teenager and can also refer the matter to the police.

(2)  Your teenager should not speak to the police about the incident.

The police, including the on-site “friendly” school resource officer, might also try to question your teenager. These school resource officers are members of law enforcement, and anything said to them can be used against your child. If your teen is 18 years-old or older, the police can try to speak to them without your knowledge or consent. If your teenager is 15 years-old or younger, you must be present. If your teenager is 16 or 17 years-old, the police must make a reasonable effort to notify you, but they can then ask your teenager to waive their rights and consent to an interview on their own. You should tell your teen – regardless of their age – to refuse to speak to the police without you being present.

(3)  You have the right to hire a lawyer to represent your teenager.

And if the police are looking to speak to your teenager, you should hire a lawyer to represent your teen. If the matter is referred to the police, it is beyond your ability to handle it. Hire a lawyer to represent your teenager.