3 NJ Bills Would Change School Instruction, Protection

Three bills are gaining traction in the New Jersey Legislature that would have a big impact on schools and what they teach.

One bill that awaits Gov. Phil Murphy's signature would require school districts to include instruction on the societal contributions of people with disabilities as well as those in the LGBTQ community.

The Assembly passed the bill this week by a 52-10-15 vote, and the Senate approved it 27-5.

The other bills would prohibit districts from denying students admittance because of tardiness or violating the dress code, and would also deal with an apparent shortage of school police officers.

Here is each bill:

Bill dealing with contributions of LGBTQ community, people with disabilities

Sen. Loretta Weinberg, D-Bergen, a sponsor of the bill, said the legislation deals with how many of the perceptions people have about others are shaped when they're children.

“It is essential that young people, while still in school, learn about the enormous contributions made to our society by members of the LGBT community and by persons with disabilities," she said. "We blot out stereotypes with the boldface type of knowledge."

The bill, S-1569, would require boards of education to provide instruction on the political, economic and social contributions of people with disabilities, and of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people, in the curriculum of middle school and high school students.

The instruction would be part of the district’s implementation of the Core Curriculum Content Standards in Social Studies. The bill is modeled after the California “Fair, Accurate, Inclusive and Respectful Education Act” which went into effect in 2012.

“New Jersey is a diverse state – that is one of our greatest assets," Weinberg said. "Ensuring that our schools include in their curriculums information about how these two groups have enriched our society ensures that future generations of New Jerseyans will be better informed and more inclusive.”

Bill prohibiting schools from denying students sdmittance because of tardiness, dress code.

Sen. Ronald Rice, D-Essex, said a student should not be denied entry into their school unless there is a legitimate reason. If a student is late or happens to be wearing the wrong color or pair of shoes, "they shouldn’t be deprived of their education," he said.

“We have kids who want to go school and get an education but are being locked out because of some minor dress code violation or tardiness," he said. "There are other ways that a situation like this can be handled. Schools should be talking to parents about these issues instead of outright punishing the kids.

"The fact of the matter is this: Kids should not be turned away from their schools.”

The bill provides that a student cannot be denied admittance to their school because of tardiness or violation of the school uniform policy. The school can, however, prohibit students from wearing clothing, apparel or accessories indicating the membership or affiliation of any gang associated with criminal activities.

The school board may provide an opportunity where parents may choose not to comply with an adopted school uniform policy. If that method is provided, a student cannot be penalized academically or otherwise discriminated against if the student’s parents choose not to comply with the school uniform policy.

Police officer shortage

An Assembly panel has advanced a measure requested by Assemblyman Anthony M. Bucco and Assemblywoman BettyLou DeCroce to address a shortage of Class III police officers in schools.

The bill (A1400) makes retired state and county corrections officers eligible for the classification.

The program was initiated through legislation sponsored by Bucco and signed into law in 2016 by then-Gov. Chris Christie. The law allows retired police officers to work in schools to help protect the community.

Law enforcement experts have predicted a shortage of available officers because of the stringent hiring requirements and an increase in demand by municipalities and school districts, lawmakers say.

“Schools have scrambled to find retired police officers for several years and we want to make sure that more trained officers are available before they have to hire private security guards with less experience and at a higher cost,” said Bucco, R-Morris. “More than ever before, schools across the state are looking for special police officers to help protect our school communities. These officers are in demand because they often come from the community and are familiar with the local police department and the school system.”

The uniformed, armed officers work part time and get paid at a lower scale, making it the most affordable option for placing guards in schools, lawmakers say. The special officers are paid about $30 or $40 an hour and are not entitled to a pension or benefits for their service, but they still report to the local chief of police.

Shutterstock photos