A recent episode of “Education Matters” a video podcast hosted by Ray Pinney, the chief membership engagement officer at the New Jersey School Boards Association, delved into how school districts approach harassment, intimidation and bullying complaints, along with the role board members play in this area.
David Nash, director of legal education and national outreach for the Foundation for Educational Administration, which is the sister organization and professional development arm of the New Jersey Principals and Supervisors Association, was Pinney’s special guest.
Since the passage of the Anti-Bullying Bill of Rights in 2011, the foundation has conducted hundreds of workshops on HIB, which has drawn thousands of participants from most New Jersey school districts.
Pinney and Nash addressed several topics on the video podcast, including:
- What constitutes HIB – and what does not?
- Can teachers, school staff and board members be accused of HIB?
- What role do board members play when an HIB complaint is filed?
- What happens when parents or guardians disagree with a decision?
“Parents have a right to know their child may have been a target of bullying or has been accused of bullying behavior,” Nash said. But he went on to note that schools are well within their rights to question a student without a parent’s permission and conduct a timely investigation.
