The schoolyard can be such a dangerous place for pupils who are different that it is only a matter of time before a child takes a harassment case under equality legislation, according to the Equality Authority.
The parent of a child in a south Co Dublin school has told The Irish Times of how his adopted mixed-race daughter was subject to racial taunts.
Anecdotal evidence like this abounds that schools are not dealing adequately with schoolyard bullying on the basis of race and disability, said Mr Niall Crowley, the CEO of the authority.
Children are also being bullied in schools on the basis of sexual orientation, religion and membership of the Traveller community, he said.
He was speaking to The Irish Times at the launch by the Minister for Education and Science, Mr Dempsey, of new equality guidelines for schools.
The pamphlet, Schools and the Equal Status Act, will be distributed to all schools.
The parent who told The Irish Times of appalling abuse in the schoolyard said that he was fearful that his daughter would be made to suffer if he took a case under equality legislation.
Mr Crowley responded that schoolyard harassment on grounds such as race, sexual orientation or disability can be a "devastating" experience for a child and schools must deal with such situations as matters of urgency.
Schools are legally liable in this situation, under equality legislation.
"Harassment on any of the grounds is prohibited under the legislation and unless schools have done all they can to prevent such behaviour and to deal with it if it occurs, the child can take a case," he said.
"We need to see schools developing their own codes of behaviour to set out their commitment to combating any form of harassment. Schools need to be educating people that differentness is a good and valuable thing."
Schools are second only to pubs in being the subject of the greatest number of complaints under the Equal Status Act. Complaints so far include refusal of access for Traveller children, refusal of access for students with disabilities and restricting access on the basis of religion.