>Herald News: Show patience with bullying law
FRIDAY, JANUARY 13, 2012
HERALD NEWS
UST five months into one of the toughest anti-bullying laws in the nation, some schools want out.
Onerous paperwork, long hours and cost are several reasons cited by the Ridgewood and River Vale school districts, which are supporting a Warren County school district’s move to have the law overturned.
By all accounts the new requirements are overly time-consuming. Since time also means money, the hit taken by school budgets can be far more than just the cost of running anti-bullying programs. The law didn’t come with any extra funding, however, and schools are bucking what they see as yet another unfunded mandate.
Their distress is understandable, especially since their spending is now restricted by the new 2 percent property tax cap. But not even half a year has elapsed since the law went into effect, and it is simply too early to throw it out entirely. The wiser course is to wait out the year, and then make specific, data-driven suggestions to lawmakers about the best ways to adjust the legislation.
https://www.northjersey.com/news/opinions/137337903_Show_some_patience_with_bullying_law.html
