Students and School

I'm Being Harassed at School… What Can I Do?

If you have been harassed because you are gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender or just because people think you are, you are not alone!! You don't deserve to be harassed and the law may be on your side. Below are some steps you can take to assess the situation and try to get the harassment to stop. It can be scary to deal with harassment, but help is available.

Keep notes about what is going on

• Write down who is harassing you, what they said and did, and who else saw or heard it.
• Also write down who you have told about the harassment and what they did (if anything) to help you.
• Include the date and time of each incident.
• Keep your notes in a notebook or datebook. If your notes are in a diary or journal and you ever need another person to look over them, the privacy of you other entries may be jeopardized.
• NEVER give away your only copy of your notes, even to someone you trust.
• If a harasser is writing you harassing or obscene notes, keep these notes as records of the harassment.

Try to get a copy of your school's policies on student conduct, harassment and discipline

• Is there a student handbook or some other kind of written policy about how students are supposed to behave and what happens if they don't follow the rules?
• If they don't have guidelines about sexual orientation harassment, see if they have guidelines for sexual harassment or harassment in general.
• Try to follow the guidelines set out in the policy, filing complaints and keeping copies of everything.

Talk to Someone About The Problem

• Find a trusted friend, counselor, family member or youth group. It's hard to deal with this kind of treatment alone. You deserve support.
• You can also contact GLAD at 1-800-455-GLAD Monday through Friday from 1:30-4:30 pm. All calls to GLAD are confidential. GLAD hotline workers can help you think through what your options are.
• A GLAD hotline worker can refer you to glbt youth groups and support services throughout New England.

Notify the Administration About the Situation and Ask Them to Stop the Harassment

• Your school has a legal obligation to investigate the harassment, but they may not know there is a problem unless you tell them.
• They are supposed to keep the investigation as confidential as possible, but they may have to talk to witnesses and other people involved.
• It is important to report harassment to the principal of your school, first verbally, and if the harassment continues in writing.
• If you are not comfortable going alone, think about finding a supportive parent, guidance counselor or friend go with you.
• Remember to keep note of the people you have talked to at the school about the problem, what you told them, when you talked to them and how they responded.

If your school does not investigate the harassment or if they do not take steps to stop the harassment, it may be they are not taking your complaint seriously and you need outside help.

If your school doesn't take care of the problem, contact GLAD or your Department of Education. GLAD can tell you how to do this. Call 1-800-455-GLAD between 1:30 and 4:30 weekdays.