Connecting with parents and caregivers around bullying and inequity is even more challenging at the secondary level. In high school, students’ developmental needs and capacities are taken into consideration and their autonomy is encouraged. Parents and caregivers often expect to be much less involved and often schools expect less involvement too.
Again, this differential approach with adolescents is to a certain extent necessary and logical. Unfortunately, when a situation does require intervention and involvement by parents and caregivers, the secondary level context and all its accompanying attitudes, procedures and practices can serve as a barrier, and this is likely to be amplified when parents and caregivers are members of a marginalized social group.