In response to the recent tragic bullying incident involving the tragic death of Central Regional High School student Adriana Kuch, New Jersey Legislators will introduce legislation that would require school officials to immediately report to the police any assault that results in the injury of a student.

Senator Christopher Connors, Assemblyman Brian Rumpf, and Assemblywoman DiAnne Gove, who represent the 9th Legislative District, all released the following statement:

“Immediately following the death of Adriana Kuch, our delegation reached out to the Ocean County Prosecutor’s Office to gain a better understanding of the incident and to put us in a more informed position to determine if amending existing state law is necessary and appropriate.

“After careful consideration, our delegation is drafting new legislation that would require school officials to immediately report to the police any assault that results in the injury of a student. Amending state law would provide consistency, meaning that an incident of assault would no longer be dealt with as a matter of a school’s individual policy.

“Our legislation would apply to assaults resulting in injury that occurs on school grounds or school facilities.

“Those who wish to cause harm to their fellow students should not be able to view schools as sanctuaries to commit acts of violence. Any assault resulting in injury on school property should be treated the same as an assault that occurs anywhere else.

“Importantly, we want to convey our heartfelt sympathies to family, friends, and fellow schoolmates of Adriana Kuch and to the community as a whole which has had to endure this terrible tragedy.

Four students at Central Regional High School in Berkeley Township, Ocean County have been charged in connection with the attack.

The incident has sparked outrage among students and parents who say it reflects a culture of bullying in the district.

See here for a recent TLS post by Rabbi Yair Hoffman on the topic of bullying in our schools.