Section 18A:37-2.1 - Suspension, expulsion of pupil for assault, appeal; reporta. Any pupil who commits an assault, as defined pursuant to N.J.S. 2C:12-1, upon a teacher, administrator, board member or other employee of a board of education, acting in the performance of his duties and in a situation where his authority to so act is apparent, or as a result of the victim's relationship to an institution of public education of this State, not involving the use of a weapon or firearm, shall be immediately suspended from school consistent with procedural due process pending suspension or expulsion proceedings before the local board of education. Said proceedings shall take place no later than 30 calendar days following the day on which the pupil is suspended. The decision of the board shall be made within five days after the close of the hearing. Any appeal of the board's decision shall be made to the Commissioner of Education within 90 days of the board's decision. The provisions herein shall be construed in a manner consistent with 20 U.S.C. s. 1400 et seq.b. Whenever a teacher, administrator, board member, other employee of a board of education or a labor representative on behalf of an employee makes an allegation in writing that the board member or employee has been assaulted by a pupil, the principal shall file a written report of the alleged assault with the district's superintendent of schools. The superintendent to whom the alleged assault is reported or, if there is no superintendent in the district, the principal who received the allegation from the board member, employee, or labor representative shall report the alleged assault to the board of education of the district at its next regular meeting; provided that the name of the pupil who allegedly committed the assault, although it may be disclosed to the members of the board of education, shall be kept confidential at the public board of education meeting. Any person who fails to file a report of an alleged assault as required pursuant to this subsection may be liable to disciplinary action by the board of education of the district.
L.1979, c.189, s.2; 1979, c.189, s.2; amended 1995, c.128, s.5; c. 372.