BY DAVE BENJAMIN
Staff Writer
Schools in the Freehold Regional High School District stepped up to the plate during School Violence Awareness Week with programs that aimed to stop violence, vandalism and drug abuse.
School Violence Awareness Week in New Jersey was recognized from Oct. 18-22.
“These programs are used to educate and raise the awareness of students who might not normally speak up against bullying and harassment,” said Superinten-dent of Schools James Wasser. “We try to teach young people to become intolerant of violent behavior.”
At Howell High School, Ron “Cook” Barrett, senior gang prevention specialist, Capital Region Gang Prevention Center, Albany, N.Y., told students about his experiences with gangs.
“There were 29 boys in [a gang],” Barrett said. “By the end of the school year we counted and there were 10 left. [They went to] alternative schools, lock-down [facilities], you name it.”
Reflecting on girl gangs, Barrett noted the colors used by different gangs.
“This girl and her 19 friends had yellow flags [kerchiefs hanging from their belts or out of their pockets] every day,” said Barrett. “At the end of the school year, we went from 19 to three. Sixteen of them went to lock-down facilities.”
Things got so bad that he started collecting shirts from gang members that did not make it. Barrett said he collected 32 shirts from youths in gangs.
“Those kids didn’t make it past 16 years old,” he said.
Barrett covered topics ranging from alcohol and drugs to house parties. He described the death of a young girl from Ecstasy which her boyfriend had slipped into her soda.
“She was on life support for one year, seven months and 14 days. She went into the hospital a healthy 138-pound girl. She died at 58 pounds,” he said.
Barrett told the students to stay in school and prepare for college and the future.
“Bringing Mr. Barrett to Howell High School today will do a world of good,” said Camille Mussari, student assistance counselor. “We live in a world of violence today. Everyone has the potential [to be violent].”
Mussari said if the program saves one student then it was well worth it.
At Freehold High School, Freehold Borough, guest speaker James A. Wallace Jr., the Monmouth County Municipal Alliance coordinator, Depart-ment of Human Services, spoke to seniors about risk factors related to bullying.
Wallace said individuals have to examine what makes a person a bully or a victim of bullying. He noted that those who abuse alcohol or drugs create a scenario: There’s no way out; I can’t deal with it; What do I do?
Risk factors identify a bully as a hot-headed individual with impulsive behavior who cannot control himself or herself for a variety of reasons.
“A bully is a predator, someone who preys on others,” Wallace said. “He or she uses physical violence or verbal threats. They terrorize the victim to gain a sense of power.”
Factors that can lead a person to become a bully include a lack of parental warmth or guidance; parents who allow drinking in their home; a lack of discipline in the home or harsh and/or physical punishment; and a lack of parental supervision.
“When it comes to bullying, the bottom line is that the ultimate sacrifice for a person who is being bullied is suicide, either by their own hand or by accident,” Wallace said.
The coordinator said there are different types of bullying and noted there are teen relationships where someone is being verbally abused. Bullying can be done based on a person’s race, color, religion, ethnicity, gender, disability, sexual orientation or gender identification.
“There’s even bullying on the Internet in e-mails and instant messages. There’s talking down to people, or verbal bullying, and physical bullying, threatening, kicking, pushing, and non-verbal, giving people the eye, the look, the attitude,” he said.
Males and females can both be bullies, he said, noting that young men primarily use physical violence to bully others, while young women use psychological harm. He said that according to data, bystanders are the only people who can make a significant difference when it comes to bullying, which is against the law in New Jersey.
Members of school clubs Los Latinos; P.E.A.C.E.; Anytowners, who are trained by the National Conference for Community and Justice; and the Asian Club performed skits about bullying, gang violence and other forms of violence.
Members of Los Latinos said that at first they did not think there was violence in their school. They had a meeting and talked about it and realized that bullying and other forms of violence is not always physical, it could be verbal. Students touched on topics such as ridiculing people because of language differences, physical appearance or sexual preferences, and rejecting others because of race or religion.
“It wasn’t always as good as it is now,” said one student in the Los Latinos skit. “So sometime this week, please make it a point to thank (principal) Dr. McKee because 10 years ago she insisted on programs just like this one at Freehold High School. The changes are good and they just don’t happen because we want them to happen.”
At Manalapan High School, Edward Ellis of Asbury Park met with juniors and seniors. Ellis said he wanted to warn the students that they do not know what they are getting themselves into if they use drugs.
“I’m here to tell you a story and send you a message of hope and life,” Ellis said. “Drugs is what I want to talk to you about. It’s the No. 1 enemy.”
Ellis said he never listened to his mother and did whatever he wanted to do and wound up with multiple drug problems. He said he got high, but told his audience that it did not get him anywhere.
“I wasted my mind for 25 years in the streets,” said Ellis. “Don’t get caught up in the wrong things. There’s only two solutions to the [drug] problem, death or prison. Stay in school. Go to college and make a life for yourself. But most of all, stay away from drugs.”