If a school principal responds to a bullying report with “we take this seriously, but we’ll keep an eye on it,” that’s not a legal response, and it leaves no record for the school to be held to later. In Ontario, a principal has a duty under the Education Act to investigate a report that a student may have been bullied, and to notify the parent when a student has been harmed. File your report in writing, citing PPM 144, and separately demand a written Safety Plan under PPM 145 for your own child, not details about what happened to the other student.
The principal’s duty is to investigate and notify, not just watch and wait
Per the Education Act, an employee of a school board who becomes aware that a student may have engaged in bullying must report it to the principal, and the principal must notify the parent or guardian when a student has been harmed. This is a statutory duty, not a courtesy. Note that the specific “Safe Schools Act, 2000” some people still reference for this isn’t the current framework; its core provisions were substantially replaced back in 2008 and built on further in 2012, and today the operative rules sit directly in the Education Act itself, together with PPM 144, Bullying Prevention and Intervention, which requires every school board to have a bullying prevention and intervention plan in place.
Why a written report matters more than a verbal promise
An informal “we’ll keep an eye on it” allows the incident to go undocumented. If the bullying continues, the school can later claim it was never formally notified, leaving your child without a documented history and you without a clear basis to push further. Putting the report in writing, by email, referencing PPM 144 by name, and asking for a written acknowledgment, is what actually creates the record the school’s own policies are built around.
You can demand a Safety Plan without needing the other student’s disciplinary details
It’s true that privacy rules stop a school from telling you what disciplinary action was taken against another student. But that limit has nothing to do with your own child’s right to protection going forward. Per PPM 145, Progressive Discipline and Promoting Positive Student Behaviour, boards must outline procedures to support students who have been harmed, including developing specific plans to protect them, and must have a defined process for parents who aren’t satisfied with the supports their child is receiving. You’re not asking for the other student’s file; you’re asking for the specific, concrete measures in place to keep your own child safe, which the school is separately obligated to provide.
What to actually do
- Report in writing, even if you’ve already spoken to someone in person. Reference PPM 144 by name and ask for a written acknowledgment of your report.
- Don’t accept a verbal “the matter is resolved.” Ask specifically: “What is the written Safety Plan for my child under PPM 145?”
- If you’re told they can’t share details due to privacy, clarify what you’re actually asking for: not the other student’s discipline, but the concrete safety measures in place for your child.
- If you’re not satisfied with the response, ask the school what their board’s specific process is for parents who remain unsatisfied, since PPM 145 requires boards to have one.
- Keep every communication in writing and dated, so there’s a clear record if you need to escalate to the school board or beyond.