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Board attorney David Del Distler trains Berkeley Heights board on HIB law, investigation timelines
Summary
At a Nov. 3 special meeting, Berkeley Heights Board of Education counsel David Del Distler gave detailed training on New Jersey harassment, intimidation and bullying (HIB) law, explaining the three-prong test, reporting forms and board roles across the two-meeting process; board members pressed for clearer information before votes.
David Del Distler, counsel to the Berkeley Heights Board of Education, told the board at a Nov. 3 special meeting that districts must apply a three-part test to determine whether an incident constitutes harassment, intimidation or bullying (HIB), and that boards must be careful when overturning administration findings.
Distler opened the training by walking members through the HIB definition: (1) an act (written, verbal, physical or electronic), (2) a target with an actual or perceived distinguishing characteristic, and (3) a nexus to school operations or a "substantial disruption" to the victim or school environment. He used multiple case examples, from classroom remarks to group-chat incidents, to show how commissioners and courts have applied the test.
"If you're going to overturn that decision and it…
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