Assaults on District Board of Education Members or Employees
Any student who commits an assault, as defined under N.J.S.A. 2C:12-1(a)1, not involving the use of a weapon or firearm, upon a teacher, administrator, other school district employee, or Board member acting in the performance of his or her duties and in a situation where his or her authority to act is apparent, or as a result of the victim’s relationship to the school district, shall be immediately removed from school pursuant to N.J.S.A. 18A:37-2.1 and N.J.A.C. 6A:16-5.7.
A student, other than a student with a disability, who commits an assault as defined in N.J.S.A. 2C:12-1(a)1, shall be immediately removed from school consistent with due process procedures, pending a hearing pursuant to N.J.A.C. 6A:16-7.2 through 7.5. Nothing in N.J.S.A. 18A:37-2.1 or N.J.A.C. 6A:16-5.7 shall be construed as prohibiting the expulsion of a general education student. A student with a disability who commits an assault as defined in this Policy, shall be removed in accordance with N.J.A.C. 6A:14 and due process proceedings in accordance with N.J.A.C. 14-2.7 and 2.8.
In accordance with the provisions of N.J.S.A. 18A:37-2.1(a), said proceedings shall take place no later than thirty calendar days following the day on which the student is suspended. The decision of the Board shall be made within five days after the close of the hearing. Any appeal of the Board’s decision shall be made to the Commissioner of Education within ninety days of the Board’s decision. The provisions herein shall be construed in a manner consistent with 20 U.S.C. § 1400 et seq
The Principal or designee shall remove, isolate, and place the student under the supervision of school staff until the student’s parent or appropriate agency takes custody of the student. The Principal or designee will immediately report to the Superintendent the removal of the student and notify the student’s parent of the removal action and the student’s due process rights. The Principal or designee will notify the appropriate law enforcement official of a possible violation of the New Jersey Code of Criminal Justice.
In accordance with the provisions of N.J.S.A. 18A:37-2.1(b), whenever a teacher, administrator, Board member, other school district employee, or a labor representative on behalf of an employee makes an allegation in writing that the Board member or employee has been assaulted by a student, the Principal shall file a written report of the alleged assault with the Superintendent. The Superintendent shall report the alleged assault to the Board at its next regular meeting; provided that the name of the student who allegedly committed the assault, although it may be disclosed to the Board members, shall be kept confidential at the public Board of Education meeting.
Any person who fails to file a report of an alleged assault as required pursuant to N.J.S.A. 18A:37-2.1 and N.J.A.C. 6A:16-5.7 may be liable to disciplinary action by the Board.
The Superintendent of Schools biannually shall submit to the Commissioner of Education a report on each incident under N.J.A.C. 6A:16-5.7 utilizing the Student Safety Data System (SSDS), pursuant to N.J.A.C. 6A:16-5.3(e)1.
Policy and Regulation 5612, implementing the requirements of N.J.A.C. 6A:16-5.7, shall be annually disseminated to all school staff, students, and parents.
N.J.S.A. 18A:37-2.1
N.J.A.C. 6A:14-2.7; 6A:14-2.8; 6A:16-5.7; 6A:16-7.2;
6A:16-7.3; 6A:16-7.4; 6A:16-7.5
Adopted: 26 July 2005
Revised: 28 August 2014
Revised: 25 July 2019