Children go through many stages in early development and this requires them to form social relationships and learn many different skills at an incredible pace. This stage of development can lead to an environment where children bully other children or where they fall victim to being bullied themselves.

It is the job of parents, guardians and other authority figures to observe the way children interact so that they can be shown how to treat others and be steered in the right direction. Teachers, in particular, have a duty to be objective in the treatment of their pupils and to act with the best interests of all students in mind.

Unfortunately, some children experience the feeling of being bullied by teachers or other employees at their school. Children often have a keen sense of right and wrong, or at least a sense of how they ought to be treated. If they come home from school complaining of unfair treatment or bullying from their teacher, it is likely that you, as their parent, will be concerned.

What can I do about teacher-child bullying as a parent in Missouri?

If your child is upset by the way they have been treated by their teacher, the best thing that you can do is communicate with your child to develop an understanding of exactly what happened and what led up to the event.

A good first response is to get in touch with the school and report the incident. They should have a process in place to deal with such a situation. If the bullying becomes frequent and persistent, it is important that you note the date and details of each occurrence.

It’s always important to reassure your children of their worth and to let them know that you are committed to protecting them from bullying. It may be possible to take action against the teacher and the school if your child continues to be bullied. All children have the right to feel safe and supported in the Missouri school system.