SAP DeNegri and Sgt. LaGuerre at Alfred C. MacKinnon Middle School
Over the past week, Morris County Prosecutor’s Office Supervising Assistant Prosecutor Samantha DeNegri and Sergeant Patrick LaGuerre brought their educational Anti-Bias/Bullying program to Randolph Middle School and Alfred C. MacKinnon Middle School in Wharton.
The Anti-Bias/Bullying program is intended to educate students about the consequences of failing to exercise good judgement when it comes to interacting with peers and determining what to post online, as how a student conducts themselves today could potentially impact their future. The assemblies also allow law enforcement to connect directly with students.
SAP DeNegri and Sgt. LaGuerre explained the difference between bias crimes and bias incidents, cautioning students that their school administrators can choose to take disciplinary action even if an incident isn’t considered criminal. In addition, they explain that Morris County takes a zero-tolerance approach to threats of school violence, and there are consequences and corrective actions that must be taken, even when students claim their comments were intended as a joke.
The presenters spoke about how to report potential threats and/or bias, even anonymously. They also advised when presented with bias behavior and bullying, not to escalate the situation. SAP DeNegri noted every student will deal with stressors in their lives, but there are appropriate and inappropriate ways of dealing with them, especially when it comes to how you treat your fellow classmates.
“You don’t know what someone is going through,” said SAP DeNegri.
When asked by the presenters if they’ve witnessed bias language or actions at school, most students in attendance raised their hands.
Social media and technology today document everything, and students need to be aware that any material they post or share will be saved and potentially shared, even items they consider personal or temporary. SAP DeNegri explained taking or sharing explicit photos can lead to legal ramifications and may be viewed/shared by people other than those you intended to receive it.
Morris County Prosecutor Robert Carroll said, “Our goal is to connect with middle and high school students, and to empower our students to make smart choices for the sake of their futures. Our students are growing up in an interconnected and complicated world. They have to know that if they go out of their way to hurt someone, through bullying or violence, they can be charged with a crime.”
The program is conducted at public and private schools throughout Morris County and beyond. Members of the MCPO conducted over dozen presentations in Morris, Sussex, Union, and Warren counties last school year. During their October 1, 2024, presentation to the six, seventh, and eighth graders at Randolph Middle School, members of the Sussex County Prosecutor’s Office were in attendance to learn more about Morris County’s program.