Bullying and Excluding Students with Disabilities

Bullying takes place when someone mocks a student’s disability so much that the student feels unsafe or can’t learn. Examples:

• Making fun of the way the student talks, walks, or learns
• Blocking the student’s wheelchair so they can’t get into class
• Refusing to play with the student at recess because of their disability

If the school learns a student is being bullied, it must:

• Try to find out what happened
• Make a plan to stop the bullying from happening again
• Help the student feel safe and supported in school

If the school does not allow a student to attend assemblies, sports, clubs, recess, or other activities, you may be able to argue that the student is being unfairly left out of activities because of their disability.

1. Tell the school or district.
   Write to the principal and the student’s case manager or special education teacher. Make sure you include:
   • The student’s name and disability
   • The name of the individual who bullied or excluded the student
   • What happened, when, and where
   • What the school has already done to stop it
   • What you want the school to do next to stop it
     
     If the problem continues, contact the district’s special education director or Section 504 coordinator (check the Colorado Department of Education website or the school district’s website).
2. Request a meeting.
   • Emailing your request is the best way to preserve a record of it.
   • If not, use certified mail or keep a signed and dated copy of a hand-delivered letter.
3. Attend the meeting.
   Before the meeting, think about:
   • How the school can keep the bully away from the student during lunch, recess, and in the hall
   • Who in the school the student can go to if bullying happens
   • If the student has an IEP (Individualized Education Program), whether they need a new goal or social work services to help them deal with being bullied
   • Whether the student lost any services or progress while being bullied and what the school can do to make up for it

If the bullying or exclusion continues after all of steps above:

• Call Disability Justice at 303-722-0300
• Submit an online intake form to Disability Justice
• File a school complaint (see the School Complaints section of the Education Rights Toolkit)