NJ- School Superintendent blames girl’s family for her suicide after she was beaten by a group of girls in the hallway of her school.

[Ozoner]

Between the failure of the school administration to protect the teacher who was shot by the six year old and the pathetic response from her school after Adriana's suicide; it sounds like the school admins are not doing the job they're paid to do ; imo.

Rest in gentle peace, Adriana !

From what I have witnessed, there are many administrators out there who became administrators because they sucked at being teachers. Not that many people have the educational credentials to be administrators, so a person can suck at being an administrator and still find a job with very little trouble, in my opinion.

 

[Tired Professor]

From what I have witnessed, there are many administrators out there who became administrators because they sucked at being teachers. Not that many people have the educational credentials to be administrators, so a person can suck at being an administrator and still find a job with very little trouble, in my opinion.

You are exactly right. A bad administrator will often get passed from school district to school district like a bad fruitcake with each unaware of exactly what went down at the last school district.

 

[HMSHood]

This goes beyond bullying. This is assault. The superintendent should be fired. Talk about unacceptable and unprofessional.

 

[Marysmith]

This goes beyond bullying. This is assault. The superintendent should be fired. Talk about unacceptable and unprofessional.

Absolutely it was assault. What a tragedy this is!

 

[ErinC]

You are exactly right. A bad administrator will often get passed from school district to school district like a bad fruitcake with each unaware of exactly what went down at the last school district.

I went to school with a fellow who was a horrible bully, lived to make everyone's lives hell. He is now currently the superintendent of a school district back where I grew up. I can only imagine what is happening to the poor kids he supervises. Whenever I see situations like the current one, I always think of this individual. IMOO some of them get into it because they like the idea of having power over others and not because they want to serve young people.

 

[ChatteringBirds]

Poor poor girl and her loved-ones.

In my opinion, this superintendent lacks compassion or kindness, professionalism, forethought, critical thinking, maturity...
There is so much that should be said regarding this tragedy, and he said the complete opposite.

I hope everyone at school who hurt her gets charged with everything appropriate. It sounds like she was physically and mentally tortured by them to me. This isn't normal teenage behavior.

 

[BrownRice]

New Jersey school superintendent RESIGNS after smearing bullied teen


New Jersey school superintendent RESIGNS after smearing bullied teen

Assume he was forced to resign. He’s almost as despicable as the teens who beat her.

 

[stmarysmead]

New Jersey school superintendent RESIGNS after smearing bullied teen


New Jersey school superintendent RESIGNS after smearing bullied teen

Assume he was forced to resign. He’s almost as despicable as the teens who beat her.

He should have bern fired, not given option to resign. But now he can wait for the lawsuits. And the Board is reviewing PAST bullying incidents as well. Maybe more lawsuits sre coming his way…

 

[rjfjet]

in addition to criminal charges, I’d love to see a law denying cell phone service to any individual who has used a call phone as a weapon. And this online harrassment and bullying has become a dangerous weapon for disturbed individuals.

It should include a provusion to deny service to any family member or friend who loans their phone to a convicted cell phone tormentor.

Just adding, this Supt.needs to be both fired and sued in my opinion. His outrageous comments were even carried in British newspapers!

I like that idea

 

[Spyralflare]

This just sickens me. We have to hold kids that do this kind of thing responsible for their actions.

 

[QB2022]

At least he's resigned but he should still be held to account to the full.

 

[sapphire blue]

I’m disgusted that he got to resign,he should have been sacked immediately. As for those girls I hope they suffer the full weight of the law and serious consequences for their atrocious abominable behaviour.

 

[Cryptic]

There is no escape or recourse for bullied students in many situations at schools, and this needs to change.
M00.

I agree completely. But, I am also convinced that there are no easy answers.

My children go to the rockiest school of a district with an "iffy" reputation. We have had several drive bys around the school, fatal drug over doses, and an off campus shooting death of a student.

I have known the principal for years. The girl is talented, works hard, and stays busy year round. In regards to bullying, she has to contend with:

- Absentee parents, who for reasons understandable, not understandable, or sort of understandable, have absolutely no control over their children.

- Students who can be bullied one day- and be bulliers the next.

- Students who are bullied relentlessly- but who have also provoked some other students with their own negative behavior.

- Parents who expect her and all staff to have: A. Crystal balls B. Various finely tuned mind / action control devices.

- Nearby high income school districts with fewer problems. Her most capable staff tend to defect- fast.

- A county judicial system that is hesitant to prosecute juveniles for anything but the most extreme offenses. And... they have a very high bar for what they call "extreme".

- An alternative school for problem students- including bulliers. But... its full, most students cant stay there forever, and some come back worse as they have "learned" from even harder core "role models".

 

[caradana]

This superintendent has rendered himself unemployable in any capacity now. Such a tremendous lack of judgment - and, such an uncommon name. Anyone who thinks about hiring this guy ever again, for anything, anywhere, will google the name and quickly disabuse himself or herself of the notion.
On some karmic technological level I like it when bad people have uncommon names and Google will follow them all the days of their lives.

MOO: Father will win $20M before this is all over; district’s insurance company is bracing itself; staff all working on their resumes this weekend; if my kid went to this school I’d be either moving or sending private pronto. This school is also reputationally destroyed.

 

[stmarysmead]

My opinion…

Bullies are created as early as kindergarten. If a child comes to school hungry, in dirty clothes; if he has no books at home or interested adult; if he is ridiculed at school for mistakes while trying his best…in time, you will have a drop-out, a druggie, or a child that has found his power in being a bully.

My husband and I were once part of a program that created a charter school in the most dangerous part of the city nearest us. Shot out windows, gang problems. Essentially we each paid the tuition for a child. There was no Lord and Lady Bountiful aspect to this…in fact the opposite.

Every grading period we were required to meet with our child and have him give. us a tour of his work and progress. Every child we ever sponsored was so proud to do this. No gifts allowed from us…just praise and the alternative…encouragement where needed. We would go from room to room, talk about their lessons, look at art work.

The concept behind this probram was that all participants had RESPONSIBILITY. The sponsors could not just give money, they had to show up or have a fabulous excuse. The parent had to have that child at school every morning on time in clean clothes. (They were fed breakfast.) The parent had to come to the school anytime when called…mandatory. They ran a tight ship of mutual responsibilities.

I met many bright, amazing children at that school over the years. And observed many mothers wanting their child to have a better life. Unfortunately, there was much political pushback. It grew. The politicians won.

We had had some great years though. I remember an award being given to a neighborhood guy who just started volunteering to help watch over the children in the playground. When ‘the village’ and the parent and the teacher work together, I can tell you, great things hapoen.

I believe that not only wealthy parents should have choice…but all parents. No child should be trapped in a school that is failing to protect them…or educate them…just because of income or lack thereof.

 

[Cryptic]

staff all working on their resumes this weekend; if my kid went to this school I’d be either moving or sending private pronto.

Yes, its obvious the entire staff failed to:

- Use their crystal balls to predict what some students were going to do.

- Employ their finely tuned behavior control devices to prevent bullying.

- Wave magic wands to eliminate any and all barriers to taking the most effective action.

Or, maybe there are no quick and easy solutions to these types of issues?

 

[BrownRice]

I agree many children come from unfortunate backgrounds. And unless there is a miraculous intervention of some sort, they are likely to stay in their same socioeconomic climate forever. Hungry, raised by a single parent or grandparents, lack of guidance etc. teachers and schools expected to be magicians and fix it. Impossible.

Regarding the superintendent though, sure maybe he doesn’t have a magic wand. HOWEVER, THE SUPERINTENDENT DOES NOT SLANDER THE VICTIM. He should have reacted swiftly with the VIDEO of her being assaulted. He had a legal duty to act. But then to slander her, say she was on drugs, had mental health issues, bring up her family. That’s borderline insanity.

 

[BrownRice]

Yes, its obvious the entire staff failed to:

- Use their crystal balls to predict what some students were going to do.

- Employ their finely tuned behavior control devices to prevent bullying.

- Wave magic wands to eliminate any and all barriers to taking the most effective action.

Or, maybe there are no quick and easy solutions to these types of issues?

I used to work for a school corporation for many years. The main goal imo was to do anything to keep this stuff out of the press. Everything is focused on having a positive reputation m high test scores, school grades, etc. I really think most schools don’t handle bullying very well. It’s more CYA. And there’s a legal responsibility to report abuse and assault. Every employee is a mandated reporter. Gray area tho between school bullying and assault. But this video seemed clear to me. And we haven’t heard from the principal or asst principals. To get any control at school m they need to suspend all kids involved immediately have a zero tolerance policy.

But again, (not talking about this case, but in general), only so much you can do with lack of parental involvement and support.

 

[stmarysmead]

One very telling moment in this particular case was when that teacher saw A being beaten, and turned and closed the door.

This says a lots about the culture of defeatism at that school. It tells me the kids were on their own, because the things were so bad, that the adults found it pointless to get involved.

There are a lot of FB posts about the school system being paid a large amount per child to take children from other districts. If that transfer child was a problem and expelled, it was a money hit. But the bullies seem to not just be transfers. But they certainly know violence is tolerated.

Look away! Shut the door!

The students seem to know that they can act out with aggression, and face no consequences. What’s the life lesson here…you can beat up your boss and keep your job?

That teacher in the doorway needed no crystal ball. She CHOSE not to intervene and let A be beaten by FOUR other girls!

What a hopeless, terrifying environment for the kids who were bullied or just trying to learn. Maybe no administration can change homelife, but they have a DUTY to provide a safe environment. These bullies should have had the police called to deal with them and charges pressed.

 

[caradana]

Yes, its obvious the entire staff failed to:

- Use their crystal balls to predict what some students were going to do.

- Employ their finely tuned behavior control devices to prevent bullying.

- Wave magic wands to eliminate any and all barriers to taking the most effective action.

Or, maybe there are no quick and easy solutions to these types of issues?

I think we actually agree, in that you mentioned in an earlier post the talented staff at more challenged schools decamping for easier roles with higher pay in more affluent districts. That’s the spirit in which I MOO’d staff working on resumes this weekend. Why stay in this now-leaderless district with a crushed national reputation when Point Pleasant Beach and a bunch of other District Factor Group I and J districts are in commutable?