newjerseynewsroom.com

BY ADELE SAMMARCO

NEWJERSEYNEWSROOM.COM

The United States Education Department says New Jersey has one of the toughest anti-bullying laws on the books, passed after the 2010 suicide of Rutgers University student Tyler Clementi.

The law designates the first week in October as a “Week of Respect” and requires school districts to provide age-appropriate instruction that focuses on preventing harassment, intimidation and bullying of others and even covers incidents that occur off school property.

Now, one New Jersey school district is stepping up its efforts against bullies with the help of law enforcement.

Students who are harassed and bullied in the East Hanover public school system can now make an anonymous call to Crimestoppers, a partnership said to be the first of its kind in the Garden State.

“This gives children, who may be too embarrassed to discuss a bullying incident with an adult at school, the opportunity to contact CrimeStoppers online, with a text message or a phone call,” said East Hanover K-8 School District Superintendent Dr. Joseph Ricca. 

According to the New Jersey Education Association, the law defines harassment, intimidation or bullying as “any gesture, any written, verbal or physical act, or any electronic communication, whether it be a single incident or series of incidents, that is reasonably perceived as being motivated either by any actual or perceived characteristic… that takes place on school property, at any school-sponsored function, on a school bus, or off school grounds … that substantially disrupts or interferes with the orderly operation of the school or the rights of other students, and that a reasonable person should know, under the circumstances, will have the effect of physically or emotionally harming a student or damaging a student’s property, or placing a student in reasonable fear of physical or emotional harm to his person or damage his property.”

Ricca was recently appointed to head Governor Christie’s Anti-Bullying Task Force and says he will not be satisfied until bullying is eradicated in schools.

The East Hanover Township School District website includes a link to the Crimestoppers program run by the Morris County Sheriff's Department where bullied students can provide anonymous tips without fear of reprisals. 

"It's important to understand that even if you’re not the victim, but you know of harassment, intimidation or bullying occurring, you still can report it," states Crimestoppers, and urges all students not to be bystanders, but to take action when they witness someone being bullied.