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9-21-11 Anti-Bullying complexities, Facebook funds to Teachers, School Construction hearing

New Jersey Newsroom - N.J. educators and police directed to work more closely on school bullying incidents

Tuesday, 20 September 2011 17:15

Attorney general issues revised directives

BY TOM HESTER SR.

NEWJERSEYNEWSROOM.COM

New Jersey school districts and police must improve their reporting systems and information sharing in order to effectively address incidents of bullying, according to a memorandum issued by the state's attorney general Tuesday.

In the past, schools typically would suspend their own investigations when police took over a bullying case. However, the new Anti-Bullying Bill of Rights Act calls for schools to complete harassment, intimidation or bullying investigations within 10 school days. As a result, coordination between school officials and law enforcement is critical, the directive states.

The memorandum provides tighter standards for schools and law enforcement regarding reporting and information sharing, the preservation of evidence, the coordination of investigations and testimony at school student conduct hearings.

Under the memorandum, school and law enforcement officials agree to jointly review such issues as they proceed with their respective investigations. The memorandum specifies that law enforcement may request that a school not interview certain witnesses or not seek certain evidence in order to avoid interfering with an ongoing criminal investigation.

In turn, law enforcement agencies agree to testify at any suspension or expulsion hearing, provided that the information is kept confidential and prior notice is given to the county prosecutor’s office, which can preclude such testimony where it would interfere with an ongoing investigation or prosecution.

Police are required under the memorandum to notify the school principal when a student or a student’s parent or guardian reports to police that a child has been a victim of harassment, intimidation or bullying, provided the offender, if a juvenile, has been charged or is under investigation for a criminal offense in circumstances where the information may help the school maintain order, safety or discipline, or where it may assist the school in placing the offender in appropriate programs.

School officials, in turn, agree to inform students that they may report an alleged offense to law enforcement, but school officials are not to express an opinion to the victim as to whether a crime has been committed. The memorandum also provides guidance regarding the statutory duty of law enforcement officers to assist school attendance officers, also known as truant officers. For example, when practicable, police should accompany attendance officers to the homes of students in circumstances where attendance officers have concerns for their safety.

The Anti-Bullying Act requires each school district to adopt a policy prohibiting “harassment, intimidation or bullying.” The revised memorandum notes that while the act did not create a criminal offense of “bullying,” bullying conduct may violate one or more provisions of the New Jersey Criminal Code if it includes, for example, assault, harassment, threats, robbery or sexual offenses.

Schools must now complete investigations into harassment, intimidation or bullying within 10 school days.

“Bullying inflicts incalculable harm on victims, debases the bullies themselves, and degrades the safety and civility of the school environment,” Attorney General Paula T. Dow said. “This memorandum of agreement will help ensure that school staff and law enforcement authorities throughout New Jersey work cooperatively to investigate and address potential crimes and serious acts of bullying in our schools.”

Research has shown that bullying has severe negative effects on victims, bullies and even observers of bullying. The effects on student victims include behavioral problems, (for example suicide and violence), school problems (for example high absenteeism, poor achievement, and poor concentration), psychological problems (for example depression, anxiety, and low self-esteem), physical/health problems (for example stomach aches, dizziness, and headaches) and social problems (for example difficulty making friends, difficulty adjusting to their environments, loneliness).

 

Bullies are more likely to get into fights, steal and vandalize property, drink alcohol or smoke, carry weapons, receive poor grades and perceive the school environment as negative, according to research.

The Anti-Bullying Act was signed by Gov. Chris Christie in January in the aftermath of the suicide of 18-year-old Tyler Clementi, who jumped off the George Washington Bridge into the Hudson River after his roommate at Rutgers University allegedly used a webcam to spy on Clementi's same-sex liaison.

New Jersey’s Anti-Bullying Act is considered one of the toughest in the nation.

The memorandum has been sent to county prosecutors and county superintendents of schools for distribution to local police and educators.

 

Wall Street Journal = Facebook Funds Go to Teachers

By LISA FLEISHER

Some of Mark Zuckerberg's $100 million gift to the Newark school system will be given directly to public schoolteachers, one year after the Facebook founder announced the donation, said three people familiar with the plans.

The foundation that manages the gift will announce Wednesday a two-year, $600,000 program that provides $10,000 grants to teachers or groups of teachers who come up with innovative classroom programs, these people said.

It's one of the few programs so far to come out of the high-profile donation, which was announced on "The Oprah Winfrey Show" last year by Mr. Zuckerberg, Newark Mayor Cory Booker and New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie.

Mr. Zuckerberg's gift has drawn scrutiny from some Newark residents who are skeptical of outside direction after years of state control for the city's school system has done little to alleviate its problems.

City and state officials will begin promoting the program at a news conference on Wednesday, including Mr. Booker, acting Education Commissioner Chris Cerf, the new Newark Superintendent Cami Anderson and Greg Taylor, the new CEO of the Foundation for Newark's Future, which is managing the gift.

They will review the $6.4 million in grants the foundation has allocated so far—including the new teacher grants—and talk about the future of Mr. Zuckerberg's gift.

Some of the funding has gone toward opening new schools, extending school days and recruiting teachers.

Shavar Jeffries, a Newark School Board member, said the investments have been smart.

"I think they're just getting started, from what I've seen," Mr. Jeffries said. "It's very important to facilitate opportunities for teachers to be entrepreneurial and use their professional expertise and judgment to meet the needs of the kids."

The foundation has to raise money to match Mr. Zuckerberg's gift. The 27-year-old founder and chief executive of Facebook was not specific about what he wanted the money to be used for. The foundation has raised $47 million in matching funds.

The Newark Public Schools District is state-controlled, and local leaders have been fighting to get power back to make major decisions about the system's future, its roughly $900-million annual budget and the hiring of a superintendent.

Mr. Christie has given no indication he is ready to cede control of Newark's educational system. In fact, he has staked much of his urban schools agenda on Newark, the state's largest city, pushing for the expansion of charter schools and visiting one charter the first day after winning election in 2009.

 

 

Njspotlight.com - SDA Finally Puts Two New Schools Out to Bid

School construction agency still will exit 2011 without new projects in ground

By John Mooney, September 21 in Education|Post a Comment

Marc Larkins, the chief executive of the Schools Development Authority, said yesterday that construction bids will finally go out this fall for two new schools in New Jersey's high-poverty districts. He added that the bulk of the remaining eight projects slated to proceed could be put out to bid next year.

But construction is unlikely to start on any of them until 2012, making 2011 the second consecutive year -- both under Gov. Chris Christie -- that the authority did not break ground on any projects under the court-ordered program.

The slow progress getting shovels in the ground continued to be the source of frustration yesterday, as Larkins and his staff testified for two hours before the legislature's Joint Committee on the Public Schools.

Larkins said in an interview that he did not view the delay as a two-year lag. The SDA's chief executive officer contends that the agency spent more than a year reviewing and revising its operations and the school plans under consideration.

The SDA came out with its latest capital plan in March, naming 10 projects that would proceed, including the two going to bid for Long Branch and Elizabeth. But Larkins said some continued revisions and the state's procurement process all have added to the clock.

"I say it's six months passed without new construction," Larkins said. "But we are doing what we said we'd do, and that takes time. I'd like to be able to say let's get started right away, but it doesn't work that way."

Storm Warnings

The hearing, held in Newark City Hall, was specifically on the topic of how the SDA and other state agencies responded to storm (and earthquake) damage in public schools.

Attended by only Democratic lawmakers, the hearing gave rise to repeated references about the snail's pace of projects in a program once touted as the most aggressive school construction initiative in the country. The slowdown has left just four new schools in the high-poverty districts currently under construction at the start of the school year.

Paterson has two projects on the list of 10 that are to proceed next year, but advocates yesterday said they wonder when -- and even if -- they will be finished.

"We never hear a specific date," said Fernando Martinez, a Paterson father and member of the Statewide Education Organizing Committee, a grassroots group. "I understand there is a need for design work and the bidding process, but the fact of the matter is we won't get another school in Paterson for seven years."

After the hearing, Larkins said the two Paterson projects are likely to be among those that go to construction next year. But he continued to hedge on whether all of the 10 chosen in March will proceed.

Other than the two proceeding this year, he said the others continue to be reviewed for need and how well they fit into standardization of design that the SDA has planned. "I hesitate to make a call on all eight of them," he said.

When asked specifically if any may be eliminated, Larkins said that it would be "premature" to say. But he also said other projects may be added to the list as the SDA continues its reviews. He did not give any specifics.

"It's a rolling program," he said. "We've never locked ourselves into a yearly number."

Earthquake Damage

Lawmakers acted more resigned than angry yesterday, not just about the new construction but also the repairs needed after Hurricane Irene, as well as the earthquake the same week.

The hurricane led to school closures in Newark and Paterson, and the earthquake left a century-old Camden school with buckling outer walls that forced its closure as well. That school had already been taking students from another Camden school that was closed and slated for replacement by the SDA that has yet to happen.

Larkins went through the details of the SDA's response in each case, as discussion delved into specifics of the SDA's role in such immediate repairs and intricacies of insurance and federal reimbursements.

State Sen. Ronald Rice (D-Essex), who chaired the meeting, said he did not blame Larkins and put the onus more on the governor's office. He said Larkins has largely been responsive to his committee.

"He has to bring the good news and the bad news," Rice said. 'And we have to appreciate that he keeps coming to us. It is our job with the legislators to do more to press the administration."