On Friday afternoon at Asbury Park Schools District’s Martin Luther King, Jr. Middle School, two 8th grade students assaulted guidance counselor John Venino in a first-floor classroom. According to inside sources, the boys, who are brothers, “jumped the teacher” and punched him in the face. While there was a security office on the first floor, he is not permitted to leave his front door post and so was not able to respond..[Correction: the security officer eventually responded; no one had called him and he was at the other end of the building.] Police and an ambulance were summoned and Verino was taken to the hospital for an eye injury.  Following the incident, the school went into a lockdown. 

Asbury Park is not the only district where student behavior has deteriorated and violence has ratcheted up since the pandemic. The National Center for Education Statistics finds  84% of public school leaders feel the pandemic negatively affected student behavior, with the largest increases in classroom disruption from “student misconduct.” “We’ve had upticks in every category of disciplinary situations,” said Betsy Ginsburg, executive director of the Garden State Coalition of Schools, which represents nearly 100 New Jersey districts. “Students experienced loss, isolation, and a lack of socialization in general. Some of them literally forgot how to be in school, how to deal with everyday peer-to-peer relationships.”

Yet things always seem worse in Asbury Park. One teacher, who wishes to remain anonymous, said student behavior is “totally out of control.” She noted that a new teacher, just hired from Lakewood (which is no picnic), went back to Lakewood “due to all the craziness in Asbury Park schools.”

At the time of the assault three security officers were supposed to be in the school only two were on the premises; as in many districts, finding sufficient substitutes is challenging.

How did the district handle the incident? With a flurry of emails and promises.

Here’s what went down:

• After the police arrived, the students were arrested and “taken out in handcuffs.” They will be charged as juveniles. 

•  An email from principal Perry Medina went out later Friday afternoon to all school staff notifying them of an emergency mandatory meeting on Monday, October 23d “which will begin promptly at 2:40.”

At the emergency staff meeting, NJER was told, a teacher pointed out that not all classrooms have phone lines and so there is no easy way to contact security. Also, if the teacher assigned to the in-school detention classroom is absent, there are no substitutes and other teachers must cover the classroom during their prep periods.

• Superintendent Rashawn Adams made the following statement to News12: 

 “We hold our staff to the highest standards of conduct and professionalism, and we are deeply committed to ensuring that our schools provide a safe and respectful environment for all. Rest assured that we will not tolerate any behavior that jeopardizes the welfare of our students and our staff.”

• On Saturday Asbury Park Education Association president John Napolitani sent out the following email:

Good Afternoon,

In light of the circumstances that happened yesterday in the Dr. MLK Jr. Middle School where a staff member was assaulted, please advised of the following:

1. Statements were taken by administration, and it will be an ongoing investigation.
2. The staff member and I did speak yesterday and today.
3. The NJEA Field Representative, Tracie Yostpille, has been fully updated.
4. The staff member has been provided with a legal representative to handle this matter.

Please understand that the Association Leadership discussed this last evening and will be providing the member with as much support as we can at this time. 

• Napolitani followed up with this email, which is harshly critical of Central Office staff:

Several people have contacted me to inquire about the staff member. I have spoken to him and he is feeling ok. I would like to preface this by saying I thank the staff for having a heart and wanting to know how he’s doing. 

Unfortunately, Central Office was only concerned about reviewing videos and making sure he was placed on paid administrative leave pending an investigation. Imagine if Central Office actually cared about the staff how much further ahead we would be in Asbury Park. Amazing that this needed to be done Friday afternoon.

• Principal Medina sent out this email on Sunday warning staff not to “discuss the incident prematurely” and “avoid gossip”:

Good evening, MLK Staff,

I hope this message finds you well. As you are now aware, there was an incident on Friday afternoon that involved the safety of members of our school community. While I am unable to share specific details at this time, I want to take a moment to ensure that we are prepared to continue providing a safe and productive educational environment for our students when we come in tomorrow morning.

Central office is actively investigating the incident, and until it is completely adjudicated, I urge all of us to exercise caution and avoid engaging in gossip or rumors. Forming judgments without verified facts can be detrimental and may disrupt our school environment.

Discussing this incident prematurely could distract our students from their educational experience and, more importantly, affect their mental and emotional well-being. I kindly request that you refrain from speculating with each other or with students. Instead, let’s redirect conversations to topics that support a positive learning environment.

It’s important to remember that we are working with students aged between 12 and 14. They are sensitive, and some of them may be feeling anxious or worried. They will need our support and undivided attention. I encourage you to approach interactions with students tomorrow with compassion and understanding, and encourage them to share their thoughts and concerns.

If a student requires additional support, please refer them to our support staff. And if any of you need assistance or guidance, please don’t hesitate to reach out to me.

Thank you for your professionalism and commitment to our students’ well-being. Together, we can ensure that our school remains a safe and nurturing place for all.

Best regards,

Perry J Medina
Principal
Martin Luther King Jr. Middle School
1200 Bangs Avenue

Asbury Park, New Jersey 07712

According to the state database, last year at MLK Middle School there were 24 incidents of violence, , three police notifications, and 26 suspensions (although last year the school served 4th-6th graders). Last year no seventh-graders (this year’s eighth-graders) met proficiency expectations in reading or math. (The state redacts all data if the percentage is below 10%.) Thirty-five percent of last year’s seventh-graders were chronically absent, meaning they missed more than 10% of school days. Researchers have posited a link between exposure to violence and chronic absenteeism.