NJ upholds suspension of Sayreville student who recorded school fight
SAYREVILLE – The state Department of Education has upheld a three-day suspension given to “a good kid” at Sayreville High School for recording a hallway fight on his phone. The student, identified only by his initials, was suspended for a “Severe Violation of Technology Acceptable Agreement” for recording on school grounds without approval from the principal. Under the school’s Student Code of Conduct, a first offense of a “severe violation” carries a three-day, out-of-school suspension and a three-week suspension of technology privileges. The student’s mother, while acknowledging her son had engaged in misconduct, argued before an administrative law judge that it was not a “severe violation,” but simply a “violation” punishable by Saturday detention and a two-week suspension of technology privileges. The mother maintained that the school’s punishment for recording video is harsher than penalties for first offenses involving weapons, harassment and intimidation, and sexual harassment. Sayreville High School fight caught on camera The incident that led to the discipline happened April 26 and was captured on a school surveillance camera. More: Sayreville football survives wild finish against Vineland to reach semis The student, a junior at the high school, was walking in a hallway when he saw one male
