Certain types of bullying may violate your child’s civil rights.  Bullying and discriminatory harassment that involve your child’s race, nationality, color, gender or disability may be a federal civil rights violation if it creates a hostile environment where harassment is encouraged, tolerated, not sufficiently addressed or ignored by school employees.  Federal civil rights laws do not currently cover individuals who are discriminated against based on their sexual orientation.  For more information about your child’s federal civil rights and to find out how to file a complaint with the U.S. Department of Education’s Office of Civil Rights.