Global Navigation
Office of The Attorney General
The State of New Jersey Office of The Attorney General (Dept. of Law & Public Safety) The State of New Jersey NJ Home Services A to Z Departments/Agencies OAG Frequently Asked Questions
Services A to Z Departments/Agencies OAG Frequently Asked Questions
OAG Home
OAG Contact
Back to News Releases
OAG Home Attorney General's Biography
Attorney General's Biography
spacer spacer spacer
 
spacer spacer spacer
spacer spacer spacer
For Immediate Release:
For Further Information:
December 23, 2011

Office of The Attorney General
- Paula T. Dow, Attorney General 
Division on Civil Rights
- Craig Sashihara, Director
Media Inquiries-
Lee Moore
609-292-4791
Citizen Inquiries-

609-292-4925
spacer
spacer spacer spacer
spacer
Attorney General, Division on Civil Rights Announce Settlement with School Board in Case of Student Subjected to Alleged Harassment, Bullying
spacer
spacer spacer spacer
spacer
spacer
spacer spacer spacer
spacer
TRENTON – Attorney General Paula T. Dow and Division on Civil Rights Director Craig Sashihara announced today that the Board of Education in Emerson, Bergen County, has agreed to pay a former student $130,000 to resolve allegations the school district did not effectively address alleged verbal, physical and cyber harassment of the student that went on for years.

Under a settlement agreement finalized this week, the Emerson school district makes no admission of wrongdoing.

“This is a fair outcome that resolves troubling allegations – a young man subjected to persistent harassment by other students over a period of six years. Hopefully, this case will serve as a reminder to others that the State takes this issue very seriously,” said Attorney General Dow.

”This is an important settlement,” said Director Sashihara, “not only because it resolves the case without litigation that could be protracted and emotionally difficult for the victim, but because the settlement incorporates action by the district to ensure this does not happen again.”

Named as sole Respondent in a Finding of Probable Cause issued by the Division in November 2010, the Emerson Board of Education oversees a district made up of three schools, including two elementary schools and the Emerson Junior/Senior High School.

According to the Finding of Probable Cause, the district did not deal adequately with continued harassment of the male student – identified as J.C., Jr. – that began in 2002 and continued through 2007. The harassment occurred while the victim was attending junior and senior high school in Emerson.

The alleged harassment was reported to school officials on numerous occasions. It included alleged name-calling and derogatory comments, as well as physical assaults and threats of violence. In one instance, students allegedly created a page on a social networking Web site that served as a forum for disparaging remarks. Altogether, the victim’s parents reported at least 17 instances of harassment to school district officials.

In addition to the $130,000 pay-out to the victim, the settlement calls for Emerson schools to create clear protocols for the reporting and investigation of harassment, intimidation and bullying complaints, provide adequate training of staff, implement policies and programs to prevent bullying, and ensure that teachers, administrators and students are fully aware of those policies.

Director Sashihara thanked Deputy Attorney General James Michael, Deputy Attorney General Megan Harris and Conciliator Ana Limo-Magras for their work in resolving the Emerson Board of Education matter.

###
spacer
spacer spacer spacer
spacer
 
 
Contact OAG About OAG
OAG News OAG Frequently Asked Questions
OAG Library Employment
OAG Grants Proposed Rules
OAG History OAG Services A-Z
OAG Agencies / Programs / Units
Other News Pages Otras Noticias en Español Division of NJ State Police Division of Law News Governor's Office News Division of Highway Traffic Safety News Office of the Insurance Fraud Prosecutor Juvenile Justice Commission News Division on Civil Rights News Division of Consumer Affairs News Division of Criminal Justice News Election Law Enforcement Commission Division of Gaming Enforcement News
NJ State Police News Governor's Office News Division of Highway Traffic Safety News Office of the Insurance Fraud Prosecutor Juvenile Justice Commission News Division on Civil Rights News Division of Consumer Affairs News Division of Criminal Justice News Election Law Enforcement Commission Division of Elections News Division of Gaming Enforcement News Office of Government Integrity News

free PDF plugin

NJ State Police News Governor's Office News Division of Highway Traffic Safety News Office of the Insurance Fraud Prosecutor Juvenile Justice Commission News Division on Civil Rights News Division of Consumer Affairs News Division of Criminal Justice News Election Law Enforcement Commission Division of Elections News Division of Gaming Enforcement News Office of Government Integrity News
   
Contact Us | Privacy Notice | Legal Statement | Accessibility Statement
NJ Home Logo
Departmental: OAG Home | Contact OAG | About OAG | OAG News | OAG FAQs
Statewide: NJ Home | Services A to Z | Departments/Agencies | FAQs
Copyright © State of New Jersey
This page is maintained by OAG Communications. Comments/Questions: email or call 609-292-4925
OAG Home OAG Home NJ State Police News Governor's Office News Division of Highway Traffic Safety News Office of the Insurance Fraud Prosecutor Juvenile Justice Commission News Division on Civil Rights News Division of Consumer Affairs News Division of Criminal Justice News Election Law Enforcement Commission Division of Elections News Division of Gaming Enforcement News Office of Government Integrity News Click to Enlarge Image Click to Enlarge Image