Former acting Gov. Donald T. DiFrancesco signed into law a two-bill package sponsored by Assemblywoman Barbara Buono (D-18). The measures, A-3322 and A-3323, will require enhanced disclosures of violence and vandalism in public schools, and formally designate the third week in October as "School Violence Awareness Week," respectively.
A statewide report issued in 2001 revealed 21,367 incidents of violence, vandalism, weapons possession, and substance abuse cases in New Jersey public schools during the 1999-2000 school year.
Buono’s bill will require all state local boards of education to improve disclosures and discussion about acts of violence and vandalism. Under the law, violence and vandalism statistics for the previous school year will be required to be disclosed locally during a public hearing each October, with a transcript kept on permanent file for public scrutiny.
Districts also will be required to provide a copy of the transcripts to the state Department of Education.
The second measure will attempt to raise public awareness of the threat of school violence through a school violence awareness week each fall. During that week, school districts will be encouraged to organize activities — such as student discussions about conflict resolution, diversity, and tolerance — to prevent school violence.
The department of education will be directed to provide guidelines and information to the boards of education for use in planning the activities, and will also be required to provide funding to pay costs of the activities and programs associated with school violence awareness week.