Low Rates of Violence and Drugs at Moorestown Schools, State Says

Incidences of violence, vandalism, drugs and weapons at remained relatively low again this past school year, a trend carried over the last few years, according to a state report.

Each year, the state’s nearly 600 school districts report instances of violence, vandalism, weapons and drugs to the Department of Education. According to this year’s report, Moorestown—which has an enrollment of 4,258 students—experienced 13 instances of violence, four instances of vandalism and five drug-related incidents in the 2010-2011 school year.

Those numbers are comparable to districts of similar size, such as Mount Laurel and Evesham, which had slightly lower numbers.

Though he’d prefer the number be “0,” Superintendent John Bach said, “The numbers, which have been consistent for a decade, reflect the character of our students and the quality of our school staff.”

Moorestown reported 18 total incidents in 2009-2010 and 22 total incidents in 2008-2009.

Bach said the district has employed a variety of proactive and preventative measures to curb such incidents, including the implementation of a counseling program for all grades from 4-12, a character education program, and the presence of a school safety officer ( Officer Bryan Wright) throughout the district.

In addition to the Violence and Vandalism in Schools Report, the district is also responsible for to the state (a result of the governor’s “Anti-Bullying Bill of Rights”), as well as incidents of dating violence. Bach said the school board approved on first reading last week a new state-mandated Dating Violence at School policy.

The policy requires school staff to report incidents of dating violence to the principal or another member of administration. Bach said these new policies “have added another whole dimension to school safety and climate.”

However, the superintendent said districts are being stretched thin as the state continues to pile new regulations and reports on them. He particularly questioned why the dating violence policy was not rolled into the anti-bullying policy, which will necessitate a third report to the state.

“It’s disconcerting to see something pulled out of the HIB (Harassment, Intimidation, Bullying policy) that should be included in it,” Bach said. “But we will follow the law.”

The dating violence policy is expected to be passed on second reading at the school board’s next meeting in January.