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NJ Spotlight--Growing Focus on Suicide Prevention, Especially Among Teens
Lawmakers, parents, advocates, educators, and mental health professionals are working on numerous fronts across the state to save lives
New Jersey has beefed up efforts to prevent suicide in schools and on college campuses in recent years, and the rate of these tragic deaths remains well below the national norm.
But several state lawmakers, including Sen. Richard Codey — the former governor and longtime mental health advocate — believe more must be done to reduce suicide in the Garden State, especially among teens, a group that is particularly at risk, experts agree. Data shows as many as one in 10 high school students here have tried to kill themselves.
Lilo H. Stainton | May 8, 2018
Star Ledger--N.J. Senate to hold hearings on 'offensive' NJEA videos
The state Senate announced Monday it will hold hearings to investigate hidden-camera videos that appear to show local leaders of New Jersey's top teachers union talking about protecting teachers accused of abusing students.
State Senate President Stephen Sweeney, the state's top lawmaker, told NJ Advance Media on Monday morning he asked the chairs of the Senate education and labor committees to convene a joint hearing.
http://www.nj.com/politics/index.ssf/2018/05/njea_videos_are_unacceptable_and_must_be_investigated_top_nj_lawmaker_says.html#incart_river_index
Brent Johnson| Updated May 7, 11:29 PM; Posted May 7, 12:09 PM
Star Ledger—Op-Ed: O'Keefe may be a fifth-rate attack schnauzer, but his NJEA footage demands scrutiny
Typically, it's pointless to call attention to anything James O'Keefe manufactures with his hidden camera unless he films his pet viper doing something whimsical, because he tends to use deceit, amateurishly selective editing, and general wing-nuttery to launch himself into mainstream discourse.
But the footage his Project Veritas spies collected in their visits with NJEA local leaders in Hamilton and Union City deserves further scrutiny, and both districts need to examine whether any student faced any form of abuse from a teacher.
Star-Ledger Editorial Board| Updated May 7, 10:30 AM; Posted May 7, 7:45 AM
Education Week--'Juuling' Craze: Schools Scramble to Deal With Student Vaping
Use of Juul device makes vaping hard to detect
After years of aggressive anti-tobacco campaigns aimed at teenagers, students have largely rejected smoking, but many have tried vaping, sending school leaders scrambling to revise discipline policies and drug prevention classes to confront the new trend of inhaling flavor-infused nicotine vapor.
https://www.edweek.org/ew/articles/2018/05/09/juuling-craze-schools-scramble-to-deal-with.html
Evie Blad| May 4, 2018
