GLEN RIDGE, NJ — The Glen Ridge School District reported 12 offenses during the school year 2015-2016, according to the latest NJ Department of Education Violence, Vandalism and Substance Abuse annual report for public schools.
All 2015-2016 offenses were for bullying. In the remaining four categories — violence, vandalism, weapons and substance abuse violations — there were no reported incidents in the report.
The annual report is comprised of self-reported information provided by school districts. It was issued Feb. 13.
The 12 total offenses were a decrease from the 2014-2015 total of 17 when there were, again, a dozen acts of bullying but also two incidents of violence, two of vandalism and one of substance abuse. That total number had been an increase from the 2013-2014 figure of eight when there were five bullying offenses, two substance abuse incidents and one weapons offense.
According to Glen Ridge Superintendent of Schools Dirk Phillips, during the 2015-2016 school year, three acts of bullying were reported in the elementary schools.
“The district continues to make character education an important part of the
students’ learning experiences,” Phillips said in an email. “We conduct separate
programs, bring in assemblies and integrate character education into classroom
instruction.”
In NJ, acts of violence in public schools has remained fairly constant. In 2011-2012, 8,252 offenses were reported, according to the DOE. In 2015-2016, there were 8,261 reported.
Statewide, bullying incidents have been declining. In 2015-2016, there were 5,995 offenses reported and 6,214 for 2014-2015. In 2011-2012, the first year bullying became a reportable offense, there were 12,024 offenses.
Marijuana and alcohol possession, distribution or use, are the most widely reported illegal substances on school grounds around the state but offenses are decreasing. In 2015-2016, there were 3,010 substance-abuse cases; in 2011-2012, there were 3,482.
The NJ DOE reports that vandalism incidents have dropped over the last four years. This was a result of fewer thefts while property damage increased slightly.
Overall, from the last four Glen Ridge school years, beginning with 2012-2013, there have been 55 offenses in the five reported categories. Six offenses have been for violence, four have been for substance abuse, three for vandalism, one for a weapons offense, and 41 for bullying.
Phillips said from September to December 2016, of the present school year, the district has had seven confirmed bullying offenses.
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