Just FYI.
(Our business manager sent this to all the teachers and Board members.)

Gov. Jon S. Corzine signed legislation (S-993) on Aug. 6 that expands New Jersey’s anti-bullying laws to include threats made by e-mail, text messages or instant messaging.

A 2002 statute already requires all school boards to adopt policies prohibiting harassment, intimidation and bullying on school property, at school-sponsored functions or on a school bus. However, S-993 adds electronic communications to the forums where “harassment, intimidation or bullying” are prohibited and, therefore, covers bullying by telephone, cell phone, pager or computer.

NJSBA (the NJ School Board Association) supports the measure, based on its policy, which states that students have the right to be educated in an environment free of discrimination and intimidation. Recent highly publicized cases, including a video posted online of three teenagers assaulting another student in North Babylon, NY, prompted the New Jersey legislation.

Under the new law, any school that does not proactively amend its anti-bullying policies to reflect the changes within 90 days of the bill’s enactment will automatically have its district policy deemed as addressing electronic, or cyber bullying.