Have you ever been bullied? As someone who has, it can be a harrowing experience. Nowadays, schools tend to talk about bullying a lot, but are they doing an effective job at preventing or stopping it?
Most of us know what bullying looks like—someone being singled out, picked on, taunted, isolated, gossiped about, or even physically hurt. But did you know that bullying can be even more harmful when it happens to a student with a disability?
That’s where an Individualized Education Program, known as an IEP, could come into play. An IEP is a legal plan for students who have a disability that affects their ability to learn and need special education services in school. The goal of an IEP is to help every student succeed in school, no matter what challenges they face.
But what happens when a student with an IEP is bullied? What about a student without an IEP? What recourse do they have? Do schools have a legal responsibility to do anything about bullying? Let’s explore that further.
Why Bullying Can Do More Damage for Students with IEPs
Bullying almost always hurts and is often humiliating, but it can be especially damaging for students with disabilities. If a student already struggles with social skills, communication, anxiety, or learning challenges, bullying can make school feel unbearable.
Imagine trying to focus in class, which is difficult on an average day, then constantly worrying about being bullied. That’s not a childhood rite of passage—it’s a violation of a student’s right to learn in a safe environment.
What Does the Law Say?
A student with an IEP has extra protection under the law. If bullying makes it harder for them to learn or feel safe at school, the school must act. A student with an IEP is entitled to a Free Appropriate Public Education or a FAPE.
This means that the school must:
Investigate suspected bullying right away
Take steps to stop it
Do everything it can to prevent it from happening again
Call an IEP team meeting, if necessary
At the IEP meeting, the team might decide to add support, like time with a guidance counselor, a safe space in school, or teaching the student strategies to deal with bullies. The student’s class schedule or placement may even be changed —but only if it helps them, not to “shield” them from the problem. It’s the school’s job to stop the problem.
What Parents and Students Can Do
If you’re a student and you’re being bullied, or you see someone else being bullied, speak up. Tell a teacher, a counselor, or a parent. You and your classmates have the right to feel safe at school.
If you’re a parent whose child has an IEP and is being bullied, here are some steps to take:
Write everything down. Keep track of what happened, who was involved, and how the school responded.
Ask for an IEP meeting. Use this meeting with the IEP team to discuss your child being bullied and come up with strategies for the school to support your child and stop the bullying from occurring.
Request extra help. If you believe your child needs extra help, ask for a counselor, someone to teach your child how to deal with bullies, or other support.
Know your rights. If the school isn’t doing enough, you can file a state complaint, a due process complaint, or a complaint with the U.S. Department of Education’s Office for Civil Rights (Yeah, I know, that last one may no longer be feasible).
What if You Don’t Have a Disability?Can you get an IEP for being bullied?
Well, not exactly, but it’s possible for bullying to play a role in getting evaluated for an IEP.
As noted earlier, an IEP is a legal plan for students who have a disability that affects their ability to learn and need special education services in school.
So, being bullied alone doesn’t qualify a student for an IEP. But bullying can cause or exacerbate a mental health issue (such as depression, anxiety, or PTSD). And, if that occurs and it impacts a student’s ability to learn, then they might qualify for an IEP. If the student does not have another disability besides the mood disorder caused by bullying, they may qualify for an IEP under the disability code of:
Emotional Disturbance (ED)
Other Health Impairment (OHI)
Bullying Can Lead to Bigger Issues
Let’s say a student starts getting bullied and then:
Feels too intimidated to participate in class
Makes excuses to keep from going to school
Has panic attacks or constant anxiety
Can’t concentrate, sleep, or keep up with schoolwork
If these issues are affecting a student’s ability to learn, then parents or teachers can request an evaluation for special education services. In fact, school administration, faculty, or staff must investigate or have a Child Find meeting if they suspect a student has a disability and the mood disorders that often come from bullying are legally defined as disabilities.
A lot of people don’t realize that mental health is a factor when it comes to IEPs. Emotional or psychological struggles, especially those caused by bullying, can absolutely be considered a disability if they interfere with a student’s education.
Together, We Can Make a Difference
Bullying hurts. It is embarrassing. It affects a student’s self-esteem. But when we work together (students, parents, and school officials), we can help protect those who need it most. Every child deserves to feel safe and supported in school. If you know someone who is being bullied, speak up and take action, whether they have an IEP or not. No one should have to face bullying alone.
Bullying and IEPs: Is Bullying Alone Enough to Get an IEP?
By Lateefah S. Williams, Esq.
Have you ever been bullied? As someone who has, it can be a harrowing experience. Nowadays, schools tend to talk about bullying a lot, but are they doing an effective job at preventing or stopping it?
Most of us know what bullying looks like—someone being singled out, picked on, taunted, isolated, gossiped about, or even physically hurt. But did you know that bullying can be even more harmful when it happens to a student with a disability?
That’s where an Individualized Education Program, known as an IEP, could come into play. An IEP is a legal plan for students who have a disability that affects their ability to learn and need special education services in school. The goal of an IEP is to help every student succeed in school, no matter what challenges they face.
But what happens when a student with an IEP is bullied? What about a student without an IEP? What recourse do they have? Do schools have a legal responsibility to do anything about bullying? Let’s explore that further.
Why Bullying Can Do More Damage for Students with IEPs
Bullying almost always hurts and is often humiliating, but it can be especially damaging for students with disabilities. If a student already struggles with social skills, communication, anxiety, or learning challenges, bullying can make school feel unbearable.
Imagine trying to focus in class, which is difficult on an average day, then constantly worrying about being bullied. That’s not a childhood rite of passage—it’s a violation of a student’s right to learn in a safe environment.
What Does the Law Say?
A student with an IEP has extra protection under the law. If bullying makes it harder for them to learn or feel safe at school, the school must act. A student with an IEP is entitled to a Free Appropriate Public Education or a FAPE.
This means that the school must:
At the IEP meeting, the team might decide to add support, like time with a guidance counselor, a safe space in school, or teaching the student strategies to deal with bullies. The student’s class schedule or placement may even be changed —but only if it helps them, not to “shield” them from the problem. It’s the school’s job to stop the problem.
What Parents and Students Can Do
If you’re a student and you’re being bullied, or you see someone else being bullied, speak up. Tell a teacher, a counselor, or a parent. You and your classmates have the right to feel safe at school.
If you’re a parent whose child has an IEP and is being bullied, here are some steps to take:
What if You Don’t Have a Disability? Can you get an IEP for being bullied?
Well, not exactly, but it’s possible for bullying to play a role in getting evaluated for an IEP.
As noted earlier, an IEP is a legal plan for students who have a disability that affects their ability to learn and need special education services in school.
So, being bullied alone doesn’t qualify a student for an IEP. But bullying can cause or exacerbate a mental health issue (such as depression, anxiety, or PTSD). And, if that occurs and it impacts a student’s ability to learn, then they might qualify for an IEP. If the student does not have another disability besides the mood disorder caused by bullying, they may qualify for an IEP under the disability code of:
Bullying Can Lead to Bigger Issues
Let’s say a student starts getting bullied and then:
If these issues are affecting a student’s ability to learn, then parents or teachers can request an evaluation for special education services. In fact, school administration, faculty, or staff must investigate or have a Child Find meeting if they suspect a student has a disability and the mood disorders that often come from bullying are legally defined as disabilities.
A lot of people don’t realize that mental health is a factor when it comes to IEPs. Emotional or psychological struggles, especially those caused by bullying, can absolutely be considered a disability if they interfere with a student’s education.
Together, We Can Make a Difference
Bullying hurts. It is embarrassing. It affects a student’s self-esteem. But when we work together (students, parents, and school officials), we can help protect those who need it most. Every child deserves to feel safe and supported in school. If you know someone who is being bullied, speak up and take action, whether they have an IEP or not. No one should have to face bullying alone.
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