Grandson's Sexual Orientation Questioned By Bully

by Linda
(Connecticut)

My 11 year granddaughter came home from school and reported that one of her friends had inquired if her 10 year old brother was gay. She told her friend he was not and asked who was saying that about her brother. The girl would not say who said it. My daughter spoke to both her daughter and her son's twin brother and asked that they be protective of their brother.

What I would like to know is how we can help, who should be contacted at the school about this and who should be our first contact.

My daughter did not speak to her son about the incidences and asked that the siblings should not mention it to him. Although, I know that this is not the first incident of bullying toward this child, but to my knowledge at this time it has not been about his sexuality. My daughter contacted the teacher last year or the year before about him being bullied by a group of boys and was told that she should contact the parents of the boy/boys directly. Something we were unwilling to do as we felt it was the school's job to intervene with bullying issues at school.

We have no problem with orientation or gender identity but are fearful that the bullying will have a harmful effect on this child. We are asking for help and guidance to try to protect him as much as possible from the ignorance and cruelty of his peers and want to supply him with the ability to speak up for himself.