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How do I write a bullying report letter to my child's principal?

Use the free tool — Bullying Report Letter FL

What Florida law requires the school to do

Under the Jeffrey Johnston Stand Up for All Students Act, Fla. Stat. 1006.147, every Florida school district must have a written policy that prohibits bullying and harassment — including cyberbullying — of any student. The policy must provide a way to report an incident, including anonymously, require the district to investigate, notify the parents of the victim and of the student accused, refer both to counseling if needed, and report the incident in the state's SESIR system. The Florida Department of Education's model policy guides districts, but the exact steps and timeline come from your own district's policy. Ask the school for a written copy of it.

What to put in the report letter

A useful report lays out the facts the way a policy needs them, not accusations. Include:

• Your child's name, grade, and school
• Each incident: date, time, place, who did what, exact words if you know them, and any witnesses — including staff
• Evidence you have: screenshots, photos of injuries, medical visits
• Any prior reports you already made, with the date and who you told
• How it is affecting your child: attendance, sleep, health, grades
• What you are asking for: an investigation under the district's bullying policy, written notice of the outcome, a safety plan (separation in class, lunch, or bus; supervision at the places named), a counseling referral, and preservation of any video
• A request for a meeting within a stated number of days

Keep the tone factual. Do not name or describe the other child's family, and do not demand a specific punishment.

Who to send it to

Send the report to the principal, or whoever your district's policy names as the person who receives reports, and copy the district's bullying-prevention or student-services contact. Send it by email and also keep a dated paper copy. Keep a copy of everything you send and everything you receive. Ask for the SESIR incident number once a report is filed.

If the school does not act

If there is no response, or the response doesn't match the policy, escalate step by step:

• Principal, then
• the district's student-services office or area superintendent, then
• the school board, then
• the Florida Department of Education's Office of Safe Schools

If the harassment is based on race, color, national origin, sex, disability, or religion, you can also file with the U.S. Department of Education's Office for Civil Rights, which has a 180-day filing deadline. If your child has an IEP or 504 plan, that team should also meet about the situation.

Safety, cyberbullying, and the Hope Scholarship

If your child talks about hurting themselves, contact the pediatrician and call or text 988 today, and tell the school counselor right away — before anything else. If there is a credible threat of violence, call the school and the police immediately.

For online bullying, save screenshots with dates and URLs, and report the content to the platform. Florida's cyberstalking law can apply to threats; mention it to the school resource officer rather than using it as a threat yourself.

Under Fla. Stat. 1002.40, a student who reports being bullied at a public school may be eligible for the Hope Scholarship — to transfer to another public school, or to a scholarship for private school. The school must notify you of this option when an incident is reported. It is an option to consider, not something you're required to do. See more general steps at StopBullying.gov.

What to do next

This page explains the general process. Every district's exact timeline and forms are different, and this is not legal advice — confirm the procedure with your district and, for a civil-rights or safety issue, with an attorney, the Office for Civil Rights, or law enforcement. A free tool can take what you describe — the incidents, dates, and what you've already told the school — and put it into the written report format the policy needs, with who to send it to and what to ask for. Nothing you type is stored.

Bullying Report Letter FL explains Florida's anti-bullying law and district procedures in plain language; it can be wrong, and it is not legal advice. District policies differ. For a civil-rights or safety matter, contact an attorney, the Office for Civil Rights, or law enforcement. Nothing you paste is stored.