LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

From the issue of March 15, 2007.

Nonviolent children ignored when bullied
To the editor:
   
Bullying — it should be a four-letter word.
   It has become an epidemic in this country and this township. How many times can you be told you are hated? Should other students be allowed to go into your belongings? How about being threatened with physical harm?
   Most readers would be surprised at the amount and repetition of bullying that could take place on a Hillsborough School District bus. How can multiple students be allowed to get away with this kind of behavior, and even have a bus driver admit that he cannot control them?
   This is the daily crucible that my child has to face, a good student and person who is an undeserving victim of a veteran principal that seems unwilling to better insure a child’s safety.
   The recent history of school violence in the United States is shocking, and not surprisingly manifests out of behavior that progresses from the bullying stage. Most school districts and states have embraced some type of policy and strategy to deal with this epidemic.
   Technology innovations such as self-authored Web sites and text messaging have only exacerbated the problem.
   Here in Hillsborough, our district has a publicly stated policy against bullying that is "supported" with commensurate education programs. Many dollars have been invested in programs that are communicated to our children in assemblies and other forums, but I would ask: Where are the "real world" results?
   Sadly, I would characterize the district’s public policy as "tactful lip service," and my child who is the "good student" and has always played by the rules, loses.
   Quotes from our educators such as "Kids make threats every day, but nothing ever happens" smack of hypocrisy and arrogance.
   To make matters worse, one of the students who was the catalyst for the bullying in question has a known history of committing similar acts toward other students on the same bus. Assurances of permanent action by the school against this individual have seemingly come up empty.
   Nobody is denying a "bully" the right to an education, but compromising the comfort and safety of other students, rubber stamps this abhorrent behavior. Alternative transportation (for the offender) or a bus monitor are just two of the possible solutions in this case.
   Regardless, it is time for the school district, school board and the community as a whole to take strong action against those who would bully our children.
   One needs to look no further than the guidance provided recently by the New Jersey State Supreme Court: The justices ruled that a Toms River School District was responsible and liable for bullying perpetrated against one of their students.
   This is an important precedent for parents like my wife and I who dedicate ourselves to keeping our children safe and bully free — Now if only the Hillsborough school district could do the same.
Scott M. Boyer

Hillsborough

Interlocal deals could save money
To the editor:
   
As a parent of five young children, I am very happy with the education that they receive from a dedicated and innovative group of teachers, counselors, and administrators.
   These individuals have made a significant and positive difference in the lives of my children that will last their lifetimes and of which I am grateful.
   However, as a homeowner and property taxpayer, I would like the opportunity to use my extensive experience as a nonpartisan advocate for local governments to help the district save important taxpayer dollars by sharing services more efficiently.
   I have spent a good portion of the past decade working with the New Jersey State Legislature on empowering local governments to deliver essential services in a more cost effective manner through cooperative purchasing and inter-local service agreements.
   In fact, counties, municipalities, and school boards save millions of valuable taxpayer dollars each year by having the foresight and political will to enter into such agreements.
   With this in mind, I am confident that my success as a public affairs manager, vision and leadership ability, and commitment to this community makes me an ideal candidate for the Hillsborough Township Board of Education.
John Donnadio

Hillsborough
The writer is a candidate for the school board in the April 17 election.
Solicit input to make school district better
To the editor:
   
Knowledge is power. The education of our youth and the generations to follow will empower our youngsters to build a foundation for success, achieve their goals, and preserve our future. I would like to be a part of this empowerment by becoming a member of the Hillsborough Board of Education (the "HBOE"), the entity legally responsible for education in our school district.
   Having lived in Hillsborough since 1978 and graduated with honors from Hillsborough High School in 1985, I am a product of our school system and community. I was the first Hillsborough High graduate to be accepted to the U.S. Military Academy at West Point, and I graduated from Lafayette College in 1989 with a BA in Business and Economics.
   Since 1978, I have experienced numerous changes in the socioeconomic and demographic climates and the overall landscape of our community. While our township and its constituents have vastly changed, I believe our commitment to excellence in education must remain constant.
   As a member of the HBOE, I would like to play a part in ensuring that the current and future youth of Hillsborough Township can experience a high level of education in a safe environment. At the same time, I would try to ensure that the HBOE maximizes the funds that actually reach our students while stabilizing overall budget spending.
   Further, I would like to help enable the HBOE to open and maintain lines and means of communication with its constituents.
   In order for our youth to experience a high level of education, the HBOE must first replace and transition a new superintendent of schools —the leader of the school district. Hopefully, I will have the ability to take part in choosing a leader whose decisions will directly and substantially impact our district for many years.
   Once a new leader is in place, I hope to work with the superintendent and other board members to better secure our school facilities and free them from drugs. I hope to help minimize the tax burden on our community by promoting efficient spending and the reduction of waste, and seeking more state aid and possible alternative funding sources.
   By soliciting the input and assistance from the people of our district, as a member of the HBOE, I hope to begin the process of returning Hillsborough’s school system to its place as a superior district in the State of New Jersey.
   I am a divorced father with an 11-year-old son, Andrew. I have a general practice law firm in Hillsborough (since 2000), and I am currently the Hillsborough Municipal Prosecutor (2003 – present). I would welcome the opportunity to become a productive member of the HBOE and have the ability to positively empower our youth and our future.
Frank Blandino

Cooper Place
The writer is a candidate for the school board in the April 17 election.
Tower application needs comments
To the editor:
   
Saturday, some of the neighbors of Hillsborough Township Volunteer Fire Company No. 3 at 324 Woods Road received a certified mail notification of an application for a use variance, variances for the minimum distance to a residential property and a school, a height variance, a side yard setback variance and a preliminary and final site plan approval for a 150 foot-tall mono-pole with 12 antennas and to locate an equipment shelter within a 500-square-foot fenced-in compound.
   This letter says the applicant is Sprint Spectrum, L.P.
   I received the certified letter, but not all of the neighbors that are potentially affected by this proposal are aware of this application and that a final site plan approval is being sought.
   Also, there is little time before the hearing on the application.
   I urge all neighbors to understand the proposal, represent their interests to the Zoning Board of Adjustment, and attend the hearing on the application at 7:30 p.m. March 21 at the courtroom of the Hillsborough Township Municipal Complex.
   The maps and documents supporting this application are available for public inspection in the Zoning Office during regular business hours.
Larry Dowling

Vliet Drive

Board needs to weigh needs
To the editor:
   
I decided to run for election to the Hillsborough Township Board of Education because I believe the residents of Hillsborough deserve a choice.
   When I found out that only the three incumbents had filed to run, it looked like we were headed down the path that would one day lead us to the dilemma facing several other towns in New Jersey — fewer candidates running than there are board seats available. This is not the apathetic future that Hillsborough deserves.
   Despite enrollment being flat, an increase in state aid, and relatively low increase in the proposed budget, Hillsborough taxpayers will still be faced with nearly $200 increase in the school portion of their property tax bill.
   I believe that taxes should only increase when enrollment increases. Funds for additional or enhanced programs must come from cost savings and other revenue sources.
   The Board of Education is currently searching for a new superintendent to replace the retiring Karen Lake. Unfortunately, this is the second time in three years that the board has to go through this process. I want to be part of this superintendent search to make sure that we hire the absolute best person available to lead our schools — not for the next three years, but hopefully for the next 20 years. Hillsborough Schools should never again be superintendent’s last pit-stop on the road to retirement.
   I am a life-long New Jersey resident and have lived in Hillsborough for 14 years. I worked 18 years for Six Flags Inc. before leaving to become a full-time, stay-at-home dad in 2000. My wife and I have been married for 17 years. Our 7-year-old daughter is in second-grade at Woodfern School, and our 4-year-old son is in a special education program at Woods Road School.
   As a full-time parent, I can truly say that our children’s education is my highest priority. I have the time and energy needed to serve on the Board of Education. As a board member I will be an advocate and representative of parents, and all taxpayers.
Gregory Gillette

Conover Drive
The writer is a candidate for the school board in the April 17 election.
Proposed tower endangers residents
To the editor:
   
Hillsborough residents need to be aware that a major telecommunications company is seeking a variance to install a 150-foot-tall, high-energy electro-magnetic radiation (EMR) cell phone tower at the Woods Road Firehouse near Country Classics.
   The telecomm company’s attorneys have sent certified letters to only a few households in the neighborhood announcing a "public" meeting on March 21st, less than two weeks away.
   The application seeks a height variance and a variance to construct this tower near Wood Road school and residences close to the firehouse. The firm is also looking for a variance for minimum distance to a residential property – our neighbor would have this tower erected literally in their backyard.
   That the telecomm’s attorneys would try to do this "under the radar" without properly informing township residents is underhanded. That a major telecomm company would seek to place a cell phone tower in a highly populated residential area, and expose hundreds of families and young children to a constant stream of high energy radiation is startling.
   The negative health effects of constant exposure to EMR are well known. "Numerous studies have shown leukemia to be more common by those living or working in the area surrounding cell phone towers. Over 50 occupational and residential studies support the conclusion that exposure to high energy radio frequencies from cell phone towers promotes brain cancer, male and female breast cancer, miscarriages and various other serious health problems. (Source: EMR Alliance Network News Spring ’95)."
   We strongly urge the township to reject this variance and placement of cell phone towers anywhere in Hillsborough before appropriate township-wide public comment and environmental and health safety impact studies have been conducted.
   The revenue would be nice, but what price do we put on the health or our township residents? Property values for hundreds of homes would plummet depriving our township with much needed tax revenue, the majority of which go towards funding our schools. And so financially this would likely be a significant losing proposition for the township and for our schoolchildren.
   We also urge the township to continue to protect the health of our citizens and our quality of life, the "Good Life in Hillsborough."
   And, lastly, we strongly urge residents of Country Classics and surrounding neighborhoods to show up for the "public" meeting on this issue is to be held at 7:30 p.m. March 21 at the municipal courtroom.
Tom Wagner

Vliet Drive