Assemblyman Avi Schnall, a Democrat, represents the 30th Legislative District, which includes parts of Monmouth and Ocean counties. This first appeared in Asbury Park Press.

The deeply unsettling surge in bullying incidents within New Jersey’s public schools demands urgent attention and action.

The article reveals a disturbing reality: bullying incidents in New Jersey schools have quadrupled since 2018, and one in five students nationwide reported being victims of bullying between 2014 and 2019.The implications of these statistics are not just numbers; they represent real children suffering from depression, anxiety, loneliness, and an aversion to school, all consequences that can endure a lifetime.

The tragic story of Adriana Kuch in the Central Regional School District, who took her own life last February following a brutal assault that was not only witnessed but allegedly encouraged by her peers, underscores the severity of the issue. Adriana’s case is a stark reminder of the physical and emotional toll bullying takes on its victims, a toll that is all too often underestimated until it culminates in irreversible tragedy.

Despite the acknowledgment of a serious bullying problem in the state by figures such as New Jersey Attorney General Matthew Platkin and then-Acting Education Commissioner Angelica Allen-McMillan, efforts to combat this growing crisis have been insufficient. The persistence of bullying, alongside a “rising tide of bias and hate” in schools, as noted by Platkin and Allen-McMillan, clearly demonstrates that current measures are not effectively protecting our students.

In this context, the argument for school choice becomes compelling. Allowing parents and students to choose their educational environment could offer a way out for those trapped in toxic situations. The freedom to select non-public schools, empowering parents to use interdistrict choice programs, expanding charter schools and easing the burden of homeschooling, could not only potentially save lives by removing students from harmful settings, but also foster a more nurturing and conducive learning environment. This is not to say that providing reasonable alternatives to a child’s current school would make them immune to bullying, but the option provides an alternative path that could be life-changing for many.

Critics might argue that advocating for school choice as a solution to bullying shifts responsibility away from addressing the root causes of bullying in public schools. However, this perspective does not diminish the need for systemic anti-bullying initiatives; rather, it highlights the immediate necessity to protect children’s well-being and mental health. School choice may not be the only solution to bullying, but it is a necessary one.

The realities facing New Jersey’s students call for a multifaceted approach that includes both strengthening anti-bullying programs in public schools and providing families with the option to choose safer educational environments. By empowering parents with more educational choices, we can offer students a chance to thrive in settings that affirm their value and potential, free from the fear of harassment.

It’s time to prioritize the well-being of our children over rigid adherence to a one-size-fits-all educational system. Let’s give our kids the opportunity to grow into the healthy, confident adults they deserve to be, in environments that nurture rather than negate their potential.