Online Petition to the Readington Board of Education

February 29, 2008


On February 28, 2008 , students at Readington Middle School , in Readington Township, New Jersey , organized a demonstration to protest the schools harsh disciplinary policy.

The students chose to pay for their lunches with pennies, violating neither school, district or justice system policies.


In response, the school administration, including Principal, Ms. Catherine Hollinger and Vice Principal Samantha Wilkinson, created an atmosphere of fear and intimidation uncondusive to the learning process. 

     

Student's cell phones were confiscated so that administrators could search for organizers by reading private text and email messages.

 

 Students were removed from classrooms for interrogation.

 

 Class time was disrupted; many students received punishments ranging from in office detentions to reprimands. These punishments will remain on the student’s permanent records.

 

At least one student had her money confiscated by school officials and was denied lunch.

 

The administration threatened to cancel other special events to be held later in the year, including the 8th grade formal dance, 8th grade class trip and events associated with graduation.

 

When an investigation was initiated by Howard Price of ABC News (New York), school officials insisted that no punishments were levied against the students.


 We, the parents and students of Readington Township request that disciplinary measures imposed on students at Readington Middle School , Readington Township New Jersey , on February 28, 2008 and February 29, 2008 be rescinded and removed from their permanent records.

 

We would further request that the Board of Education initiate an investigation addressing the confiscation of student’s personal property, including money and cell phones.

 

We ask that the actions and the records of Principal, Ms. Catherine Hollinger and Vice Principal Samantha Wilkinson be reviewed with respect to the disciplinary policies and procedures at the school.

 

We ask that reports of teachers and administrators creating a hostile and intimidating environment for students, be investigated.

 

.We ask that the Board review what we believe is the disproportionate response of school officials to this event and whether this response is a single event or common occurrence in the school.

 

We are disturbed by the long standing reputation in the community that Readington Middle School has with regards to excessive and inappropriate reprimand.

 

We would like an investigation of the administration’s attempt to cover-up the matter by issuing false and misleading information to Howard Price of ABC News.

 

Pennies are considered legal tender and the school must accept them as payment. We consider Reading ton Middle School ’s response to this inappropriate. We are further disturbed by reports that the administration at Reading ton Middle School operates in an environment which is hostile and intimidating to the students. Such reports can not and will not be tolerated by this community.

 

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