Really Could Use Some Support

Hi everyone, I am new to this forum and joined because my family is having a bit of trouble with some bullies in our neighborhood. My partner and I have custody of her 14y/o sister who is in 8th grade and she is really having a rough time. We have had her for 3 years now but only moved to this school district last year and since then it seems like things are getting out of control, and as her parent I feel like we are getting little community support and am becoming increasingly worried about her and our safety.
To explain the situation, there are a group (like 15) of kids in the neighborhood who are for some reason targeting our child, they range in ages, including some older high school kids, in the neighborhood our child knows she is not to even go near these kids, however when it comes to school she has little choice. Our schools share a schoolbus, so the highschool and middle school kids ride the same bus. On the bus these kids are calling out her name, saying inappropriate things, including talk of who wants to have S*x with her, telling her she is too poor to get new clothes and on and on. This happened a lot of last year and has now continued into this year. The school was aware of the situation last year but did little besides issuing a warning. However over the summer things have intensified. Not only are these kids harassing our child they are now harassing us, they are walking by our townhouse banging on our windchimes, knocking on our windows, knocking over our birdfeeder, and knocking on our door and running. the group of kids seems to be centered around a select few siblings as ringleaders. we have tried to confront the mother on the issues but she is worse then the kids, yelling, cussing, denying and lying about the situation.
We have always told our child that fighting is not the answer, and she is well aware she is not to hit or hurt anyone unless they hurt her first, and that is exactly what has happened. On the 2nd day of school, when they got off the bus the main ringleader decided to fight our child and hit her, in self defense our child hit her back and fought her. Having had it, we got the school involved again as well as the police and housing office for our townhouses. All of which refuse to take the situation seriously, the school gave them both a slap on the wrist for fighting and looked at the bus tapes and now are pursueing the sexual harrassment things said on the bus. The police simply said kids will be kids and dismissed the case. Again the girls mother is impossible to approach and is beyond pissed at us, and is now spying with her kids on us and other families that are trying to resolve this situation, peaking in our windows and hiding around corners. I myself am becoming parinoid and no one wants to take us seriously.
This girl that our child got in a fight with has fought other kids in the neighborhood and on the bus, including one fight involving a knife, so I really am afraid for our safety. I feel guilty sending our child to school, for the last couple days she is claiming she doesn't feel well and wants to stay home, and I can't blame her, but what are we suppose to do. My partner and I are seriously considering moving, just to keep all of us safe.. but I feel the situation should be able to be dealt with in another way and not come to that, nor do we want to play victims and run away. I am dissapointed in our schools and our police in failing to take this seriously. Our child is about to pass her breaking point, and if she does, i honestly can't blame her, these kids are cruel, fearless and way outnumber her. All this push in the news to control bullying seems like a joke at this point. I really could use some support.
Thanks

Hello,

I can easily understand the terrible situation that you find yourself in, and I know that it seems like you are all at a dead-end. On face-value, that is what anyone would see. However, there is hope and there is a solution, or solutions. I must admit thought that some solutions might not be agreeable to you.

Firstly, if she is to remain in the same school, then persistence on your part is needed. I have learned in life that workers repeatedly fail to do any things that are outside of their adily routines, such as getting involved ina bullying case. You have to pursue the issue, in effect 'harrassing' them enough so that they actually go out of their way to do what is needed. Thus, I suggest maintaining pressure on the school and police to reach a resolution to this. It is an important issue that is affecting the mental well-being of your child and your family.

I also suggest writing official letters to the school and carbon-copying them to the police and any other organisations in your are whose remit tis problem falls under.

The other option is to search for a new school and - possibly - to move out of the neighbourhood.

Take care
Kevin