Pearl River Board of Education Approves 2011 Code of Conduct

The addition of a new policy on bullying stands out among the changes in the 2011-12 version of the Pearl River School District Code of Conduct.

The board of education held a hearing for the new code at its meeting July 6. 

"It addresses bullying and it is linked to the penalties on harassment," Pearl River Superintendent of Schools Dr. John Morgano said. "It addresses threatening electronic communication, which is a growing concern.

"It also addresses preventative measures. One of them is a requirement that we establish a district-wide task force on bullying prevention and a bullying-prevention coordinating committee at each school. At Pearl River, the way we will do that is have the district-wide task force through the district leadership team and the building committee through the the building leadership team."

The new policy is part of the state's Dignity for All Students Act, which passed in 2010. Districts were not required to enact a new policy until July 1, 2012, but the board and administration felt it was too important to wait.

"We don’t have, I don’t think, a large problem, but we would not be realistic to think we don’t have a problem at all," Morgano said of bullying in Pearl River schools. "Every school has a problem."

The policy includes penalties ranging from a warning to a superintendent's hearing, but also includes methods of prevention.

One key concern is dealing with bullying through electronic media.

"The biggest problem is the electronic bullying because it is so anonymous," Morgano said. "It really hurts kids. You can ask why they look at the phone if they know you are being harassed, but they are compelled to because their friends tell them,” Did you see what they said about you?”

Among the other changes are the personnel in charge of enforcing district policies. For example, Pearl River Director of Special Services Carolyn Moffa will continue as the district's compliance coordinator for non discrimination policies (Title VI, VII, IX and Section 504), but High School Assistant Principal Kevin McCahill and Lincoln Avenue Elementary School Principal Kathleenann Cool have been added as alternate coordinators.

"We learned our lesson when Carolyn was out last year to have alternates," Morgano said.

The entire code of conduct is available on the district website here.