To think this is bullying

[HollyBerryLaneNW3]

DS has just started YR 7. He may have an ASD and his new school are aware of my concerns. Whether he has Aspergers, an ASD or not, he's very socially immature and struggles to make friends.
He's been telling everyone in his class that he thinks a girl in his class is pretty. Apparently a group of girls then persuaded him to ask her out by telling him that she fancied him. He did ask her out on the back of it and she said no.
Today another girl mimicked to him that she loves him. He went over to ask if she really meant it and she said she was only joking.
Am I wrong to think this is bullying?
I mentioned it to the head of form tonight who said the girls didn't mean any harm.

Yes they did mean harm. A joke is only a joke if everyone concerned thinks it's funny.

They're being horrible. Don't let it drop.

What should happen then? Should I email her back and ask that she does something?

They're teasing him. Hardly bullying.

Absolutely it's bullying. If the school are so quick to sweep it under the carpet that would make me more furious.

Yes it's bullying. They're taking the piss out of him, the little wretches!
Deffo take it back up with the school.
Didn't mean any harm my arse!

They may not mean harm in her eyes but they are making your DS the butt of their joke and that's very cruel. I'd email her back and say that it's cruel to make him a joke and you would appreciate her having a word with them to ensure they are aware it's not nice and won't happen again.

This is bullying. It's repeated and intended to hurt his feelings. The government's definition of bullying is
here
I think you should ask the school for their policy on bullying and ask why they are not adhering to their own policies (because they have to have an anti bullying policy not s dismiss it as 'not meaning anything')
This happened to me when I was young and it knocked my confidence an amazing amount.

yes I think the FT needs to get involved but I'm not sure in this instance that punishing the girls is the right step. They are also only 11 and finding their "place" in new social groups. Bonding over a shared "joke" is a very powerful form of establishing friendships and is a very attractive, common way to identify as one of "us" rather than one of "them". OP, I would email the FT and express your concerns that your DS needs some support in establishing appropriate relationships and that some work needs to be done either in a PSE setting or individually with the girls concerned to help them appreciate what the issues are. If it persists, then up the ante - then it becomes bullying - an identified, easy target is made the "butt" of whatever joke or prank is funny that day and the school's anti-bullying policy (all schools have one and it should be on their website) should come into force.

I don't think it bullying, maybe they are making fun of him. Otoh he is going around telling everyone he likes a girl, what if he is making her feel uncomfortable. I think actually that's worse, he may be pestering her which isn't nice either.

They say they take bullying very seriously in this school.
Maybe it's just this particular teacher, who happens to be the head of form, who's useless. She wasn't helpful in the least. It's reassuring to hear that others think I'm not overreacting

If he is going round telling everyone in the class he thinks a girl is pretty, isn't he intimidating that girl?

Xpost with LadyLuck - I agree.

Oh, I think you are over reacting.

Intimidating? I've heard it all now

This is not bullying now, it is teasing and being silly, ignorant little girls. However, if the form tutor speaks to them tomorrow and it continues, then yes, it definitely becomes bullying. Good luck OP, stick up for your DS and refuse to let it go.

Intimidating? I've heard it all now

Shows how blinkered you are being. Speak to your son about inappropriate behaviour in class.

Nice

I remember horrible little girls doing this to boys with special needs when I was at secondary school actually. Setting them up (with ease) to look foolish so they could have a good laugh.
Pretty distasteful.

Speak to your son about inappropriate behaviour in class.

Where the heck did that come from? Your imagination?

Actually I can kind of see where Bowlersarm is coming from. When I was 11 I know I would have hated having a boy in my class telling everyone he thought I was pretty. I actually did have similar things happen at that age and I did feel a bit intimidated by it and I probably would also feel intimidated in this situation too.

And I have ASD myself. Not just if that's relevant, but just thought I'd chuck that in there in case someone wants to tell me I don't know what it's like.

Yes, my imagination about how the girl was feeling who he was going round telling everyone in the class he thinks is 'pretty'

Apparently a group of girls then persuaded him to ask her out by telling him that she fancied him. He did ask her out on the back of it and she said no.

They escalated it. They got him to ask her out. Ffs.