What’s Important to Know About NJ This Week- 12/09/2023
NJ and US Falling Behind Rest of the World on Test Scores, Police Training Badly, NJ Public Charter Schools Show Up Strong, Underage Drinking May Bring Harsher Penalties, Proponents of Corporate Tax Fighting to Keep it Alive NJ and US Falling Behind Rest of the World on Test Scores From NJ Education Report For the first time since the COVID-19...
One Step Closer to Oceania
Security Theatre Took Another Aggressive Leap Forward in Berkeley Heights Public Schools This Year If you have yet to catch up on this issue, the District voted to extend its contract with the Police Department for another five years in a rushed Special Meeting during the Summer. Special meetings are meant to be held for urgent matters or emergencies – the shared...
Meeting With The Chief On Police Presence In Schools
Over the last few weeks, I have had several discussions with friends and neighbors on the issue of school safety – specifically police in schools. One of these discussions led to a meeting with the Chief of the Berkeley Heights Police Department, Jason Massimino, and two other parents who could not disagree with me more on this issue. There were...
BHCW NIGHT WATCH: Ep. 4- Pam Stanley’s Questions to the NJSBA, Police In Schools & Records Custodian
In this episode of Night Watch, we discuss BOE Member questions to the NJSBA, debate Police in Schools, and question the reappearance of the Custodian of Records position for the Business Office.
A Loud Voice for Police in Schools
by John Leo & Laura Kapuscinski We support Police. Moreover, we support having an appropriately trained officer in each school with the primary responsibility of keeping our students and staff safe. The officers placed in schools are very specific and special for the school environment. A SRO (School Resource Officer) is a full-time police officer who is responsible for teaching...
Loud Voice Against Police In Schools
I will remain one of the “loud voices” against additional police in schools. One can support more police in schools, but to wonder out loud why anyone would be against it demonstrates a concerning lack of research on the topic. So here is going to be an unusual article coming from me. I support Dr. Varley’s decision not to make...
Unpopular Opinion on School Safety
I sent the following email to the BOE this morning and wanted to share it here as well. Good Afternoon, Schools are safe- the community-wide and national conversation on school safety is not based on any evidence. Lockdown drills do not have any evidence of doing anything but traumatize children. Adding police in schools doesn’t do anything to prevent school shootings; the...
DEI: An Opportunity to Improve Our Schools and Our Strategic Plan
In November of 2021, I met with Dr. Varley and a School Administrator in connection to DEI. I explained that part of the community push-back on DEI connects to a lack of clarity on goals and activities. That the District, community and the initiative would be better served by providing clarity on DEI. After that meeting, the Administrator emailed me...
Involve Families in Law Enforcement Activities Within Our Schools
Originally Published In Another Local Media Outlet on March 7, 2020 A proposal for increasing family involvement and input into the law enforcement activities in Berkeley Heights Schools is an issue I have been raising for some time. I am going to avoid citing the substantial and growing amount of evidence that suggests these programs do more harm than good....
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