No 'Culture Of Violence' At Central, Acting Superintendent Says

BERKELEY, NJ — In the days since 14-year-old Central Regional High School student Adriana Kuch took her life after being physically attacked in school, many students and alumni have spoken out to share similar instances of bullying.

However, Acting Superintendent Douglas Corbett denied claims that there was a "culture of violence" in the school district, speaking at a press conference Thursday afternoon prior to the Board of Education meeting.

"I disagree with that," Corbett told reporters of the claim. "That has not been my experience at all."

"Do these things occur? Obviously," Corbett said of in-school violence, and said that the district does everything that they can to prevent it from happening.

However, he could not give any specifics on Kuch's attack was handled, citing an open investigation.

Corbett said that the data does not indicate that there is a culture of violence in the district.

But state data shows that harassment, intimidation and bullying (HIB) complaints have risen over the past few years.

In the 2018-2019 school year, the last year with complete data due to Covid-19, there were 25 HIB instances, according to the state data.

That jumped from 16 in the 2017-18 school year, according to data.

In 2018-19, the district conducted 62 HIB investigations. That was also an increase from 35 in the previous school year, according to data.

It is difficult to compare this with more recent data, as the past two school years are incomplete due to remote learning. But former and current students have shared stories of physical bullying in the district.

Former student Jayla Hahn, who now attends school in another district, was attacked in the school cafeteria last year, her mother previously told Patch. She said that the school did not do enough to protect her daughter after the attack. Read more: NJ Star Wrestler Jayla Hahn Jumped At School, Now Fears Going Back

And in a current lawsuit against the district, a student claims that she told school officials that she had received threats that she would be attacked. But officials did not act properly, the lawsuit said, and the student was physically attacked — and similar to Kuch, video of it was spread on social media.

A Change.org petition titled "Stop the Violence at Central Regional High School NJ" has garnered more than 12,000 signatures. The petition, started by the mother of the student from the lawsuit, calls for a change in the culture at the school.

"There needs to be a change in administration, there needs to be more security, the school should not be able to solely label these incidents," the petition reads. "The only thing Central Regional does is label these events as 'hallway disturbances' so it does not reach the threshold of needing to involve the police and reports aren't made. It gives them reason to punish the VICTIM."

Previous Coverage:

• 'We Want Justice': Central Students Protest After Classmate's Death
• 'Wonderful And Brave': Memorial Fund Created For Bayville Teen
• Central Superintendent Resigns In Aftermath Of Student Death
• 4 Central Teens Charged In Recorded Attack Following Student's Suicide
• Memorial Vigil Honors Bayville Teen After Suicide
• Officials Speak Out Following Bullied Bayville Teen Suicide
• NJ Legislators Propose Amending Anti-Bullying Laws In Wake Of Suicide