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Parents press superintendent on bullying and school climate; Glover pledges proactive steps
Summary
At a community Q&A, parents raised concerns about bullying, harassment and student mental health; Superintendent Erskine R. Glover said confirmed bullying is "less than 1 percent" on paper, promised clearer definitions, proactive classroom work, reporting supports and resource reviews.
Parents at a Piscataway town hall pressed Superintendent Erskine R. Glover on bullying, harassment and school climate; Glover responded with a three-part approach: define bullying clearly, expand proactive classroom conversations, and strengthen reporting and support services.
Brianna Johnson asked, "How will you address bullying, harassment, and school climate to ensure all students feel safe and included?" Glover said the district will review definitions and policies, expand training for staff and coaches, and ensure social workers and counselors have resources to support students.
He characterized the district's confirmed incidents as low on paper—"less than 1 percent confirmed bullying cases"—but said that statistic does not capture unreported or informal harms. "By no means am I saying it's gonna be solved overnight," he added, and called for better parent understanding of what constitutes reportable bullying versus insensitive behavior among children.
Glover tied anti-bullying work to wider diversity and inclusion efforts—he noted the district is required to teach Amistad and Holocaust curricula and said those and other curricular materials should make discussions about identity and respect visible in classrooms and hallways.
He also said athletic coaches set a tone for student conduct and that training for coaches and staff will be part of the district's strategy to reduce incidents and provide supportive reporting pathways for students.
