ASSEMBLY CONCURRENT RESOLUTION No. 125

STATE OF NEW JERSEY

INTRODUCED JUNE 5, 1997

By Assemblyman STANLEY

A Concurrent Resolution endorsing a bill of rights and responsibilities for learning in public schools.

Whereas, School should be a place where there is safety, order, respect and high academic standards; and

Whereas, The misbehavior of some students interferes with providing quality education to students who want to learn; and

Whereas, Discipline and order are the prerequisites to learning, and the students who want to learn and are willing to study and work hard should not be denied their education by the small number of students who are violent or disruptive; and

Whereas, There is strong support among the public, parents, school personnel and business for higher academic standards, particularly in the basic subjects, in order to attain educational achievement that enables our students to be competitive in the world economy; and

Whereas, The traditional mission of our public schools has been to prepare our nation's young people for equal and responsible citizenship and productive adulthood; and

Whereas, The State of New Jersey has affirmed its commitment to this mission through the establishment of alternative schools and programs, zero tolerance laws related to violence, drugs and weapons on school property, and directives to the State Department of Education which enhance educational opportunities for New Jersey students; and

Whereas, The State of New Jersey recognizes that while other education reforms may work, high standards of conduct and achievement do work and nothing else can work without them; now, therefore,

    Be It Resolved by the General Assembly of the State of New Jersey (the Senate concurring):

    1. The Legislature recognizes and endorses a Bill of Rights and Responsibilities for Learning: Standards of Conduct and Standards for Achievement which provides that:

    a. All students and school staff have a right to schools that are safe, orderly and drug free;

    b. All students and school staff have a right to learn and work in school districts and schools that have clear discipline codes with fair and consistently enforced consequences for misbehavior;

    c. All students and school staff have a right to learn and work in school districts that have alternative educational placements for violent or chronically disruptive students;

    d. All students and school staff have a right to be treated with courtesy and respect;

    e. All students and school staff have a right to learn and work in school districts, schools and classrooms that have rigorous academic standards;

    f. All students and school staff have a right to learn and work in well-equipped schools that have the instructional materials needed to carry out a rigorous academic program;

    g. All students and school staff have a right to learn and work in schools where teachers know their subject matter and how to teach it;

    h. All students and school staff have a right to learn and work in school districts, schools and classrooms where high grades stand for high achievement and promotion is earned;

    i. All students and school staff have a right to learn and work in school districts and schools where getting a high school diploma means having knowledge and skills essential for college or a good job; and

    j. All students and school staff have a right to be supported by parents, the community, public officials and business in their efforts to uphold high standards of conduct and achievement.

    2. Duly authenticated copies of this concurrent resolution, signed by the President of the Senate and attested by the Secretary of the Senate, and signed by the Speaker of the General Assembly and attested by the Clerk of the General Assembly, shall be transmitted to the Department of Education. The department is requested to distribute copies of the concurrent resolution to each public school district in the State and to encourage the districts to develop and maintain high standards of conduct and achievement in accordance with the tenets of the Bill of Rights and Responsibilities for Learning: Standards of Conduct and Standards for Achievement.                     

STATEMENT

    Pursuant to this concurrent resolution, the Legislature endorses a Bill of Rights and Responsibilities for Learning: Standards of Conduct and Standards for Achievement. This bill of rights and responsibilities states that all students and school staff have a right to:

    ∙     schools that are safe, orderly and drug free;

    ∙      learn and work in school districts and schools that have clear discipline codes with fair and consistently enforced consequences for misbehavior;

    ∙     learn and work in school districts that have alternative educational placements for violent or chronically disruptive students;

    ∙     be treated with courtesy and respect;

    ∙     learn and work in school districts, schools and classrooms that have rigorous academic standards;

    ∙     learn and work in well-equipped schools that have the instructional materials needed to carry out a rigorous academic program;

    ∙     learn and work in schools where teachers know their subject matter and how to teach it;

    ∙     learn and work in school districts, schools and classrooms where high grades stand for high achievement and promotion is earned;

    ∙     learn and work in school districts and schools where getting a high school diploma means having knowledge and skills essential for college or a good job; and

    ∙     be supported by parents, the community, public officials and business in their efforts to uphold high standards of conduct and achievement.

    Copies of this resolution will be provided to the Department of Education, and the department is requested to distribute copies of the bill of rights and responsibilities to each school district in the State and to encourage the districts to develop and maintain high standards of conduct and achievement, in accordance with the tenets of the Bill of Rights and Responsibilities for Learning: Standards of Conduct and Standards for Achievement set forth in the resolution.

Endorses a bill of rights and responsibilities for learning in public schools.