To all the parents whose kids are involved, you should be ashamed of yourselves. You should've kept your kids home. To coach Olsen, is this what high school athletics is all about. Big kids on your football team surrounding and beating a 15 year old unconscious and being rewarded for it? You may have won the game, but lost the respect of a community.

Shame on Coach Olsen

"When universities become so dependent on athletic departments for their very existence, to the point where nothing – nothing – seems vile or heinous or repugnant enough to shake that iron grip, then there is something desperately wrong with American universities. When any game becomes so powerful that football coaches can play God to entire towns, cover-ups this massive are blatant and where so many people knew and did nothing, when students riot after the filth lurking under rocks start to come out not in protest of the crime but in reaction to the loss of their beloved coach, then Penn State needs to be shut down. "
http://crooksandliars.com/nonny-mouse/football-not-absolute-monarchy

So much for those who believed Olsen would "do the right thing!" Outrageous!

Okay, Olsen is one person. Where is the phantom principal Dr. Beckerman? It's all such nonsense. I wonder what coaches from other schools would have done. I think fear of lawsuits from parents is a big issue. Those are the parents who get whatever they want for their kids. Thankfully the victims are not dead or permanently physically injured. Their attackers are in deep doo doo and I hope this is a massive wakeup call for them personally. I am hoping whoever was responsible can change their arrogant ways and behave less cowardly and more respectfully in the future.

Now that the "whole story" has gone public. It's clear that both coach Olsen and senior Managhan "did the right thing". It's a shame that some people still don't understand another law that's been in place for centuries. The one that says: watch what you say when you open your mouth because someone else is liable to put their fist in it.
For every person that has had the pleasure of a knuckle sandwich- this Bud's for you !!!

The game of football and winning became more important than character and what is right. There was a game last night. Wrong vs Right. Wrong won.

Coach Olsen is a self serving individual who obviously doesn't know right from wrong and has no character. This man is serving as a role model for our kids. The BOE and administration should be ashamed of themselves. I don't want to hear about they had no choice because of legal precedent, Weak effort I was expecting more from this BOE. Very dissappointed in them. As for Coach olsen, I never expected him to do anything different because all is concerned with is his self glorification, not about teaching these kids a lesson.

If a student can harass, intimidate or bully another student on facebook, from his home, which is off site, and get suspended in accordance with the new HIB law, why were the football players allowed to play? Because our board trustees, with the exception of Mordkoff who spoke on this, chickened out. This is what happens when you put politicians, politically minded personalities on the BOE.

Next time our Board of Education talks about anti bullying, laugh in their face. This is the biggest bunch of phonies I have seen in a long time. Watch, at this weeks meeting, they'll tell you that they were against these kids playing, but their hands were tied. They'll take that position NOW, AFTER THE FACT, BECAUSE IT IS OBVIOUS THAT THE PEOPLE ARE UPSET..They are savvy politicians and will sweet talk you to believe that. Why didn't they say that early on? Mordkoff did! He was the only one to stand up and take a position. No one else on the board did? Or were they too busy partying in Atlantic City on taxpayers dollar? Did anyone see any trustee at the game last night?. I didn't.

I grew up in Wayne and still have friends there. I am outraged by the series of events. If kids get busted for drinking or smoking pot they have to face the consequences, but this is so mindblowing that kids can touch another human being and not be accountable for their actions. Shame shame on the coach, BOE, principal. These kids do not have to face the music for their actions. That is the problem with parents and educators today!!! sad world.

I just hope the state takes a look at this matter. And brings the BOE and Olsen down. I just hope they don't just cut the little funding that we get. Then the tax payers will have to pick up the tab. Olsen you brought shame on this township. If this act of 9 taking on 2 isn't bullying. Then what is?

Well the BOE returns from AC they will have another opportunity next week to suspend these kids (more like thugs) from the team. .

I am a student at Wayne Hills and was actually there at this party. I witnessed this fight. Let me say plainly that every story has 2 sides, and to not pass judgements until you know the entire story. What ever happened to “innocent until proven guilty?” Yes, these 9 boys were charged, but I know for a fact that many are innocent and a few were not even present at the party. It was not a brutal attack of two boys innocently walking down the street, it was an act of self defense that I can admit went wayyy too far. But Wayne Hills is not corrupt. We are not a gang of thugs. I agree that playing on a team is a privilege and not a right, but the ability to a fair trial IS a right, and everybody needs to stop spreading rumors about the Wayne Hills football family. Nobody is pardoning anybody because they are a “star football player.” Due process will happen, and justice will be served for all parties involved. Do not be ignorant, people. This has nothing at all to do with the Wayne Hills football team, the players' parents or our amazing Coach Chris Olsen. It is embarrassing to see you all throwing your two cents in when in reality, you have no idea what really happened. You cannot always believe what you read in the paper.

leanbean, I totally agree with you that the boys that hurt these two Valley kids were wrong, but it was not all 9 of the boys. That is so unfair to the Wayne Hills football team, and Olsen actually cares about these boys. You do not personally know him like I do. He played these boys in the game because as our superintendent Mike Roth said, the law states that they CAN play. Even if they all hurt the boy, the law actually says they can play. This is what I am talking about when I say people are being very ignorant.

What is this was your child? Imagine if your child went to a party and a fight broke out, and they took NO part in the fight and left immediately. But somehow, their name got thrown into the mix and they were arrested and charged. Would you be okay with your child not playing in a playoff game, that he has worked so hard to get to?

@Eliza..were at this fight? You state that the WH were defending themselves. What provoked this fight?

For the 9 students to be arrested, one would think they would have had to be present at the fight. If so, they are guilty for leaving an unconscious person. This fight was not at a party...the 9 arrived in vehicles and accosted the 2 on the street.

Wake up! If the County Prosecutor has filed charges, don't you think he has enough of credible evidence on these kids! He's sure not basing his charges on what he's reading on Patch.

How credible could the evidence be if some that were arrested were not event present?

Here we have an eyewitness account of the incident, which you dismiss in favor of what you read in the newspaper. Good Lord, talk about having blinders on.

Your mind is already made up, even the truth won't set you free.

why am I not buying in to Eliza being a student, is Eliza a witness on any list contacted by the Police? if so, this individual may be disqualified or worse, either way Eliza is on a list now, this should be interesting

to all the wayne hills apologists. listen to the Police Chief during this interview. There has been a thorough investigation. Nobody is making stuff up

http://www.news12.com/articleDetail.jsp?articleId=298018&position=1&news_type=news&region_name=NJ&regionId=2

Time for Olsen to go. All this system worries about is their wonderful football team made in the image and likeness of the man who has always lacked integrity...Chris Olsen. Look at his track record with lack of integrity at the state and local level. Nuccetelli should have gotten rid of him but he and his cohorts got rid of her.

old bridge NJ had 2 rival high schools for many years. A few years ago they merged into 1 high school so that they could consolidate resources (1 auto shop etc..). 1 school is considered the freshman and soph one, the other school is the jr and senior one..of course there is some crossover and busing between the 2 schools but it seems to work, unify the town, reduce expenses, and has overall worked out pretty well.

Fomenting? LOL. Like when you were fomenting at the mouth at the council meetings?

The leaders of our community are not instigating the rivalry. To the contrary, from when Wayne Hills was built for almost 30 years thereafter, the BOE actually forbid the "brother" schools from playing each other in football. A very recent reallignment of conferences by the NJSIAA forced the yearly games.

Never the one to seek the facts, you just concoct your own version of history with silly assumptions that make an @ss out of only you.

Once again you try to exploit one of our darkest hours for your own political gain.

Have you no decency sir? Billie Sue...you are a BUM.

You knew Olsen wasn't going to suspend these players. This is the same guy who was fired early in his career in Bergenfield for slapping a kid in the face. He then went on to Passaic I believe and was fired there for hitting a kid as well. Those close to the football program know that steroids are widely used among Wayne Hills players and he turns a blind eye to that too.

It's the school administration who failed the student body and the community as a whole in this case. What an absolute disgrace.

You sir are a fomenter of negativity and antipathy toward anyone who isn't as sociopathic as you are.

Not only that you are an ignorant fool - fomenting at the mouth is an impossibility,
What you do when you read any positive idea or see someone who has an interest in his community - is FOAM at your mouth while fomenting hatred toward anyone who speaks truth to power.

If you believe that there isn't a rivalry between Hills and Valley when it comes to football then we can agree to disagree. I have personally witnessed events that lead me to believe otherwise.

If you believe that the administrators and coaches cannot encourage a sense of brotherhood among residents of one community than hopefully you aren't an administrator or coach. I have personally witnessed true leaders succeed at that goal.

Sociopaths have an aversion to community spirit and altruism, everything you write displays such an aversion on your part. You are a cancer on our community..

What are you saying..that you can't use your mouth to foment? Anyway, dolt, the comment was a play on words.

There is a rivalry, but you accused community leaders of "fomenting a senseless rivalry within our Township".

Factually, for many years community leaders prevented a football rivalry by prohibitting the schools from playing each other. The rivalry was eventually forced upon us. Yet you attack and blame our community leaders.

But that's your style, distorting the truth for your own political gain...such as the Bellos were married in jail, and Lonni Miller is Newt Miller's daughter.

As to who is a cancer on the community...the voters have spoken again.

As to who is a sociopath...here's a link entitled "Profile of the Sociopath".

http://www.mcafee.cc/Bin/sb.html

You are a one pot-calling the kettle black MF.

can we move beyond the fomenting/political thing and focus on the disgraceful decision to allow these kids to play and represent their school and community ?

Look maybe not all those kids who were arrested were even at the party but they know whose involved. I graduated last year and I know who is involved and the whole story. If those kids want their innocence to be heard they should sell the souls of the rest of the kids who were involved and give the real truth its only fair.

the point is, we know what happened: 9 players were arrested for assault. If I'm the principal, coach or acting superintendent, I'm not allowing those kids to represent my school. They aren't putting on my uniform. They aren't representing my community. Period. Mr. Roth's comment stating "how can I take away a once in a lifetime opportunity for these players?" in an insult to the kids that were left on the street unconscious.

Have another drink "Dude".

The "Dude" is actually an asset to those of us in this community who will now stop at nothing to right the wrong.
He is a perfect example of ignorance, when "awareness" and "intelligence" is called for.
He is the perfect example of a bully, when .. well, just take a look at his posts. Lol.
He is the perfect example of a POOR role model, when we need GOOD ones for these kids.
He obviously lacks intelligence. ["Dude" - IT HAPPENED!] and would be one of the FIRST to cover it up or sweep it under the rug, rather than do the RIGHT thing!
Oh...and I'm sure he has NO clue, the definition of "Integrity"! He WREAKS of quite the opposite!
again "Dude", IT HAPPENED!
YES there was a party! YES 2 boys from valley were there! The "2" boys LEFT, and "9" boys from hills got out of a CAR THAT PURPOSELY STOPPED ALONG SIDE OF THEM and the ONLY RESULT of that is that those "2" boys ended up severely injured.
What could those "9" boys have done differently "Dude"??
C'mon...I KNOW you know the answer to that one...put the drink down and take a few moments to THINK if you need to...
Let me repeat the question so you understand.
"What could those "9" boys have done differently, when the "2" valley boys LEFT the party?????
Anyone? Can anyone help "Dude" out here? It's really a simple question.

Eliza was where? All I have seen is that she was at the party, not with the 9 who beat up the two boys, leaving them unconscious.

Eliza wasn't there, or else SHE would have called for someone to help those 2 boys somewhere between the car with 9 boys getting out, and all 9 leaving them in the street! WOULDN'T SHE?!

"Character traits are so important" "Character is who you are when no one is watching"
A direct quote Olsen made to his players as he handed them a packet to read about the "Character" of a champion. 3 days before this disturbing incident.
Good job COACH! It most definitely SHOWS!
And now EVERYONE is watching!

Interesting link.
http://www.northjersey.com/sports/132668673_Wayne_Hills_diary_Part_I__Olsen_pays_special_attention_to_the_details.html?c=y&page=2

Olsen is working his players.

"Bobby, what do I want you to do?" the coach says. "Tell me." (The player proceeds to diagram the play correctly).

There's no question that Ramapo is the opponent. When a player jumps offside during a non contract drill, Olsen pulls him off the starting unit.

"Maybe threatening to not play you in the biggest game of your career might get you going," Olsen says to the young man. "Now get back in the huddle and run it. Run it again. Jumping off sides is because we're not mentally tough enough yet."

~~ He threatens to not play a kid because he ran a play incorrectly. This is good stuff! Olsen truly IS mentally incompetent ~~

isnt it funny how Eliza had her last name listed before and then all of a sudden she just goes by Eliza. in case anyone didnt see it it was Eliza Monteyne. Eliza should be contacted by the Wayne PD to make her official statement since it appears her story is much different then all of the other witnesses. She should speak to the Passaic District Attorney about having these bogus charges dropped. Anyone think Eliza really exists?

The dude has to be an elementary school student. He thinks that the only evidence allowed is direct viewing of an incident/crime. Eyewitness testimony and interviews dont mean anything. His response will always be "were you there?" The police spent 10 days investigating this incident with Passaic County District attorneys office before filing charges. Im sure they did their due diligence. I would like to know exactly what the dude needs to see or hear to convince him that this incident actually happened.

has anyone ever heard of an athlete out on bail playing in a game ..at any level highschool, college , pro...any sport?

If Eliza knows a different story than the WPD, why doesn't she come forward & talk to them? I've known Chief Reardon for over 30 years, I'm sure he'd love to hear any other facts about this incident, please help us all Eliza. The answer is that Eliza & her believers want to hear anything except what the police report. I'm sure those poor Wayne Hills victims would love your keen input, God knows they got dirty & cold as they played Friday night....and guess what, Olsen LOVES THIS. HE is a sociopath that loves attention & LOVES to show how he really runs that school, I think he's having a grand time stuffing it in the face of Wayne twp, the administrators & the residents. He's controls his school & NO ONE can question his authority. Whatever happened to those kids is collateral damage & a small price to pay to promote his kid, team, & ego. ALL WAYNE AUTHORITIES & ADMINISTRATORS ARE AFRAID OF HIM HE LOVES IT!!

the dude is smarter then the chief police and all of the investigators. His investigation has conflicting stories. I guess the 10 day old real investigation by qualified trained and competent individuals should be dismissed because the dude is on the case. lmao. credibility+intelligence=0 for the dude

Tell me why those who attended the party & have a different story, are zipped lip except behind a laptop?

NJ-News 12 Poll - Yes(80 - 16%) No(411 - 84%) Total Votes: 491

I think Dude loves the attention he's getting on this blog. Completely ignore him. He'll go away.

stewart. the only vote that seems to count is by the dude. i wonder exactly what sort of evidence he needs? im sure a video of the incident would not be enough because it could have been edited or shot from the wrong angle..

He represents the minority who are against WPD, "the man" has been keeping him down...he gets around these blogs from his parents basement, he's pissed, he gets some attention, negative or whatever. The employed really irritate him. The price of a free country...keep babbling.... anyway, forget him back to the conversation...again...those who know different, tell me why you're mute?.

the stark reality is that an adult was charged with a felony, posted bail, and then played a football game representing Wayne hills high school and the town of wayne. The interim superintendent comes across as a feeble incompetent. who is actually at the top of this pyramid that can put an end to the nonsense. Is there not "the buck stops here" person in this town's administration? Olsen has removed or suspended players from other sports teams for much lesser offenses. He has become the judge and the jury and the executioner and wears a figurative bullet proof vest. very very dangerous to have a man with no morals steering the ship that guides 1/2 the teens of Wayne.

stewart resmer...Again you don't have your facts right. it wasn't the BOE that said to play. It was the Supt.Roth That said to play

He didn't say to play, he said he couldn't STOP them from playing, BOE doesn't call plays, put kids in/out, It was Olsen's call(which is still BS, what about facebook bullying, that's a crime done off school premises?). They're all sniveling snakes bullying Wayne residents, school administraters. 2 levels of bullying, everyone is afariad of Olsen, he's a bully who won for now. He loves this attention. We can't let him win in the end.

the boe could have thrown the switch on the whole game if they had a mind to for any reason what so ever, the lot of em from top to bottom from roth to the janitor are held in contmept for this, the city coouncil as well, and the police what with POav being an officer and reping the district during an active police investigation and possible felony!

All afraid of Olsen the great. Non one will stand up to him, no one. Watch, glad I moved outta there. The rest of the Wayne Hills cronies do as he commands.

The BOE has lost all control of anything Wayne Hills Football, they've become their own entity who make their own rules. Isn't the BOE embarrassed they have no power over him? They should be.

Seems to me there was probable cause for arrest whereas there have been none? The WPD is not looking too good in all of this as well.
This really needs to be handed over to the Passaic County Sheriffs Department...this is serious.

Olsen has always been a bully. He is one of Wayne's overpaid teachers that hard-working taxpayers are supporting.

from board of ed website - spread the word to EVERYONE
Change of Location for Special Meeting/Executive Session
Monday, November 14, 2011

The LOCATION of the Monday, November 14, 2011 Special Meeting/Executive Session has been changed to the Wayne Board of Education Administration Building Conference Room, 50 Nellis Drive, Wayne. This meeting will begin at 7:00 p.m. The purpose of this meeting is for a Board Retreat and any other business of the Board.

They let these guys play because for the school it is more important to win and keep its record, than teaching these Neanderthals that you just can't break the law without any consequences. Instead what they are doing is fueling their arrogant egos. That's Wayne Hills' tradition. Yay...Go, Patriots.

Four years ago, in the parking lot of the very same school in question, a 16-year old boy was ran over and almost killed by one of the football players, without any consequences. The boy required seven and half hours of brain surgery to put him back together and spent eight days in the ICU. Afterwards, upon return to school, the coach, (the same coach at tonight's game) glared at him. Neither the player, his family, or the coach, even bothered to call the family to see how he was doing. Once again, go, Patriots!

Meeting changed to Nellis???????????? Why wasn't the meeting changed to Nellis when the Council Debates were held at Valley and couldn't be televised?????

This all falls on Olsen. Olsen had the ability to make a statement by his actions and he chose winning over all other. Why throw everyone else under the bus when it is Olsen who it should all fall on. B.O.E. should take a stand though and ask Olsen to step down as a the A.D. I thought when he took over as A.D. that it was a major conflict and now I know I was right.

its time to take back the castle. i hope there is a mob of people looking for answers at this meeting

Lets all remember that with the biggest controversy in Wayne in many, many years, the BOE did nothing, claimed to know nothing, claimed no jurisdiction, made no statements, had NO authority. Let’s all remember this when each of them in up for reelection. Do we really want people that hide in the time of need? Do we really want people in the BOE that refuse to do the morally correct thing to protect ALL the students of Wayne, and not just the football players?

stweart, I agree. So again, are these the people that will be considered for another term? Not in my eyes.

You know this beating of those 2 boys does not surprise me. Were any of you at the Wayne Hills Ramapo Championship game back in 2009. Olsen threw his clipboard and did you see the way he talked to his quarterback? Not to mention is it true that He broke every window on the bus on the ride home? No wonder why you have football players doing this. You have the football coach doing it. If that kid were my son I would have done everything in my power to see that Olsen was removed as a football coach AND as a teacher. Fact of the matter is that Wayne Board does not want to Walk the Walk.

Has anyone contacted ESPN? I think a producer for E60 would find this story VERY newsworthy considering the Penn State fiasco.
THE WAYNE COVER-UP CONTINUES!

How could the parents of the accused boys even allow their son’s to step on the football field to play in yesterdays game? Remember people this is only a GAME… the reality is that charges have been filled and children have been more than BULLIED they were GANG beaten into submission.

The time has come to end Olsen’s ( THE EGOMANIAC) dictatorship and unify the township.

I think it was disgraceful for Wayne Hills High School to allow such bullies to play in that game. Does that mean all students can go out to party and get in a fight and be allowed to participate in any school activity? The school board should have allowed them to suit up but not play, to humiliate them and their ego maniac of a coach. The wrong message was sent out to all students everywhere. They now think they can do no wrong and get rewarded .
Shame Shame Shame on the Superintendent anbd the school board. I think that law should be looked at very carefully.

Yes, Roth, Wayne Hill's administration and the BOE are all passing the buck on this one. They should have been suspended from the team immeadiatly. Im sure the new anti-bullying law would cover this. It goes to show you what type of people are making the calls in the Wayne School District. Another scandel in Wayne.

State Senator blasts Roth
http://www.northjersey.com/news/NJ_state_senator_criticizes_decision_to_let_9_accused_Wayne_Hills_students_take_part_in_playoffs.html

Wayne "in charge but scared" are dodging & weaving. They dropped the ball BIG TIME, cause of the bully Olsen, but like all victims of bullying,they are afraid & are trying to run for cover. You're all getting a nice salary to do something, DO SOMETHING. They'd like it to blow over quietly, while Olsen rules the WH community & they all get paid well. The citizens of Wayne are paying your salary & deserve explaination of why football players that are were arrested 2 weeks ago can take the field. They're throwing it in our faces & laughing all the way to the FB scholarships, hey whatever it takes.....did you know Olsen named Monahan(18 yr old Accused) Captain that night? Arrogance & bullying, not unlike his players. Will we let him laugh in our faces??

Neil just doesnt get it. I am not part of any lynch mob. I am all about equal justice for ALL students . Somehow football players get a pass for their indescretions but Olsen comes down very hard on players in other sports. neil, check the facts if you are capable. Olsen has suspended players from various squads for mush lesser offenses then these players are charged. The case law means squat. What exactly would be the "damages" that you and the other parents will sue for? A real judge in a real courtroom will laugh you out the door. This case has been investigated, the police chief has made a public statement in which the investigation was thorough and included the District Attorney. If you want to keep your head in the sand and think a championship ring has more value then the lessons that can be taught with this episode then you and olsen deserve each other. Children in our schools are not afforded due process before they are penalized.Sorry but children do not have the same rights as adults. If a kid is caught chewing gum and it is against the rules, then they are sent to detention. THe administrator does not have to provide any due process when doling out the punishment.

i dont even bother reading your posts "the dude" and i bet 95% of the rational people on here are in the same boat. but keep it up with what i am sure was another post that proves your (lack of) intellect and rational thought.

i dont even bother reading your posts "the dude" and i bet 95% of the rational people on here are in the same boat. but keep it up with what i am sure was another post that proves your (lack of) intellect and rational thought.

The Dude. What you do not understand is why people are outraged. I dont think anyone is outraged that there was a fight between HS kids. And I know you side is the kids started it and threw the first punch. Which may or may not be true. But the fact is it does not matter if there are 100 different sides to the story. People are utraged because it was a GANG attack, that was premeditated by the fact that these 9 boys got in the car to "hunt" this kid down, and then 9 boys beat up 2 boys and left one unconscious in the middle of the road. The fact that is was 9 against 2 and the fact that they left a boy unconscious in the road could have led to attempted murder charges instead of aagravated assault.

Negative headlines again today in the BERGEN RECORD, local section. We now have State Senators assailing against the 9 being allowed to play. I think it's time for our BOE trustees to go.

Albert...what you refuse to accept is that the facts are in dispute, so your outrage is based on information that may or may not be true.

Each so-called fact that you state above is in dispute...that it was a gang attack, that it was a premeditated attack, that it was 9-on-2, that they hunted them down, that they left him unconscious in the middle of the road. These so-called "facts" are only allegations, actions that are alleged to have happened.

Some allegations above were made in statements by the police chief, and some haven't even been made by the police...you made them. None have been proven factual.

Dude, are you saying you are disputing the FACT that a young boy was left unconscious in the middle of the road? That was stated by police, that is how the POLICE found him. There is NO JUSTIFICATION for leaving someone in the road unconscious. Please, please, give me a reason or story that gives that justification.
If these 9 young men feel they were justified, then I hope they don't plead down and take their chances with the actual evidence that the Wayne Police, and the county prosecutor have that made them actualy charge these young men.

Dude, here is the problem with your "story". At least one of the boys has come clean and has named names. This I have heard from someone very involved in the investigation. So lets see how the others fair if they go to trial with at least one of the boys involved is on the wtness stand. My guess is most if not all will plea bargin. So time will tell.

So let time tell. But until that time, the facts remain in dispute.

This forum has, for the most part, been an attack on the coach. The attack started with the Record article last Wednesday, days before the decision to allow the accused to play.

The attackers on this site accused Olsen of lying because he denied knowledge of the incident.

I pointed out that Olsen never denied knowledge of the incident, he denied knowledge of the arrest when the reporter interviewed him...immediately after the arrest. He didn't yet know that the kids had been arrested...that's all he said.

Didn't matter, the attackers twisted his words, twisted the truth...and off we went.

I have read conflicting stories on this site and others, some by folks who claim to have been present. I have yet to read a statement anywhere, by someone claiming to be present, that corroborates what has been alleged by the police.

The facts remain in dispute. Some of the accused may be found to be innocent, all of the accused are entitled to the presumption of innocence. I'm one of the few on this site who are according that to them.

I am outraged by the media frenzy over the alleged incident involving Wayne Hills and Wayne Valley High School students. The news media should strive to report a story in full as opposed to bits and pieces. I am also appalled that an elected official, a school board member, would be so reckless as to characterize this incident as a gang style event. Do not misunderstand me, I do not condone this behavior by the Hills or Valley students, however I do believe in due process and that you are innocent until proven guilty. I also believe the outrage directed towards Coach Olsen is unwarranted. All Coach Olsen has done is stand by his players and adhere to the direction of the Administration. He has coached and taught in this town for over twenty five years and has a reputation second to none. The people calling for his resignation are the same people who rail against his success, unhappy with their own program and lack of success. I have know Coach Olsen and his family for over ten years, my youngest son is a junior at Wayne Hills and plays for Coach Olsen. i have never met a person more committed to his players and their families in my life. Let the boys play football, let the coach do his job and let the legal system determine what really happened that night.

The "case law" cited by Mr. Roth is hardly binding precedent. Below is a copy of the NJ Commissioner of Education Decision (as administered by an ALJ). It is currently on appeal and no final decision has been rendered. The ALJ does hammer home the point about overstepping disciplinary action but there are some key distinctions between Ramapo and here, mostly lawyer stuff. Tellingly, despite striking down the Ramapo school policy, the judge writes: "It is too much of a stretch to find that all off-school-grounds conduct that may result in one of those violations would automatically make it necessary for the Board to suspend or revoke a student’s ability to participate in extracurricular activities in order to protect the well-being of the student, other students or the school staff. Further, the requirement in N.J.A.C. 6A:16-7.6(a)2 that authorizes a board to revoke a student’s ability to participate in extracurricular activities when the student’s off-school-grounds conduct “materially and substantially interferes with the requirements of appropriate discipline in the operation of the school” emphasizes the notion that there must be some link between the conduct and the school environment. See also, R.R. v. Bd. of Ed., Shore Reg. H.S., 109 N.J. Super. 337, 343-344 (Ch. Div. 1970). This is more than enough for the WH to mete out discipline here.

http://www.nj.gov/education/legal/commissioner/2010/sep/383-10.pdf

seems like it is better to beat someone senseless off school grounds then it is to be caught cheating, cutting school, chewing gum, etc...things that could lead to suspension and no extra-curricular activities. where exactly does the anti-bullying law take effect? if it is only on school grounds then how do they claim jurisdiction over social media sites such as facebook? Is it now okay to bully someone the entire summer because school is not in session? Where has common sense gone?

the HIB policy on the BOE website clearly details the definition
http://www.wayneschools.com/district/board_of_education/policies_and_regulations/documents/DistrictPolicyHarassmentIntimidationBullying5512.pdf

3. Takes place on school property, at any school-sponsored function,
on a school bus, or off school grounds, as provided for in N.J.S.A.
18A:37-15.3, that substantially disrupts or interferes with the orderly operation of the school or the rights of other pupils; and
that
4. A reasonable person should know, under the circumstances

everyone should call the BOE at 973-633-3000 and ask to speak with MR Roth or anyone else that can clify the HIB policy. Seems since it is a police matter they feel it is out of their jurisdiction to do anything. Feeble. So again, if you commit a minor offense, not police -related then you are subject to HIB. So you might as well escalate your offense to make it a police matter and then the BOE will ignore it. Does that make any sense?

Joe Pa got his...............just saying???

This issue rests with the parents of these boys first. Poor upbringing. Lack of character and integrity. Most kids today have no respect for themselves(steriods) nor have the coping skills needed to take into adulthood. To escalate this to a fight where somebody is knocked unconscious shows a level of hate that is downright frightening. I would add that our society has been let down on many levels for many years...........BOE, administrators, principal and coaches all condone a win at all cost mentality. Having a wall of trophies and the most wins in a career is hollow if you lack integrity and character. Most kids today will grow up clueless about how to handle advesity and relationships. They can thank their mentors and parents for that. Kids may be bigger and physically stronger than years ago but that is more than offset by their inability to use critical thinking skills.