NJ Commission Sets Hearings on School Bullying

TRENTON – The New Jersey Commission on Bullying in Schools has scheduled three public hearings on the effectiveness of current bullying laws and policies.
All three hearings will be held from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. on the following dates:
Jan. 28, Lincoln High School, 60 Crescent Avenue, Jersey City
Feb. 18, Lawrence High School, 2525 Princeton Pike, Lawrenceville
Feb. 25, Gloucester County College, Tanyard Road, Sewell, NJ, Health Sciences Building, Room 500
“New Jersey is a state that takes bullying seriously and has made sincere efforts to address the problem,” said Commission Chairman Dr. Stuart Green, a clinical educator at Overlook Hospital and founder of the NJ Coalition for Bullying Awareness and Prevention. “However, bullied and vulnerable children need even stronger support and protection. We must do more.
“We encourage parents, teachers and other interested parties to attend the hearings to express their concerns and offer solutions for improving the safety of all New Jersey children,” Green added. “Attendees will also have the opportunity to hear testimony from experts in related fields, including child development and behavior.”
The New Jersey Commission on Bullying in Schools was created by the Legislature and Governor Jon S. Corzine in 2007 and is charged with recommending ways to strengthen New Jersey’s approach to the problem of bullying in schools. The Commission expects to issue a report in July.
The Commission consists of 14 members representing educational, clinical, advocacy, academic and public entities, including representatives from the Department of Education and the Division on Civil Rights.
The Commission was created through an amendment to New Jersey’s bully law, which mandates that public school districts adopt harassment and bullying prevention policies and requires the Commission to hold public hearings on the issue.