Handling of racial incident criticized
Parent of girl accused of making slur says full story has not been heard
By robert degennaro
Correspondent

Red Bank Regional High School Superintendent Edward Westervelt and Dr. Rodney Boden agree that something happened May 8 that got Boden’s daughter into serious trouble, but that’s about where the agreement ends.

At the Red Bank Regional Board of Education meeting last week, Boden read a six-page statement regarding the district’s handling of the matter into the record.

Boden’s daughter was suspended in May for 10 days for allegedly making a racially denigrating statement during a lunch period at Red Bank Regional High School.

The incident and its aftermath were extensively reported in the press.

"I want to … spell out for you in some detail what it has been like [for my daughter] to be a 15-year-old convicted racist in this little town of ours," said Boden in his statement.

He told the board about the stresses his daughter has been under, including receiving threats, and of the effect it has had on her and the family. He also took school officials to task for the way the matter was handled.

He said his daughter was not allowed to speak in her own defense, and that the evidence against her has not been available for further scrutiny.

Westervelt was quick to come to the district’s defense.

"After allegations were brought to our attention in regards to a comment, we sent the Bodens a letter indicating that we would like to meet with them to review the evidence," said Westervelt. He added that the Bodens’ attorney attended that meeting in their place and all the evidence was discussed at that time.

"We held that meeting and shared the evidence. At that point we thought the case was closed. Now Dr. Boden comes before the board and says he didn’t have the evidence, which is absolutely incorrect," said Westervelt.

Boden said he did not attend the meeting because he did not want to further expose his family to "a publicity circus." He said his attorney advised him not to attend the meeting because so much information about the incident had already leaked to a local paper.

At the board meeting June 19, Boden was informed that he could review the evidence if he wished. As of press time, that second meeting had not taken place.

Boden also told the board that the school seriously mishandled the at-home tutoring his daughter was to receive after it was decided she would not finish out the remainder of the school year.

"Between May 8 and June 8, my daughter received just six hours of home [tutoring]," he wrote in his statement. "The tutors either failed to come for their scheduled appointments, or they did not make appointments at all."

Westervelt said that while he could not specifically comment on the number of tutoring sessions, he did say that the guidance department set up a schedule that was difficult to adhere to.

"I will admit that there were some scheduling difficulties, but part of that is that she ran away and that she is in a summer program," said Westervelt. He said the Bodens requested to terminate the home instruction a full week before exams because the student would be attending an out-of-state summer program that began June 13.

Boden said school officials asked him to get a doctor’s note saying his daughter could not come to school for medical reasons.

"This was, in fact, quite untrue, but we were concerned for her safety, so we got the note," Boden said in his statement.

Westervelt said that the only way to qualify for home instruction, according to school policy, is for medical reasons. "He claimed his daughter was distraught and could not come to school," said Westervelt.

Most distressing to Boden was that his daughter was severely disciplined for a wayward comment while there seemed to be no effort to address a death threat he received, via e-mail, that was directed at his daughter. Boden said he still is waitng for the results of the school’s investigation into the threat.

Westervelt said that since the threat happened outside of school, it is not a school disciplinary matter, though the safety of students is always paramount.

"I have advised Dr. Boden that if there had been threats made, it’s a police matter," he said.

Boden has since pursued the matter with the Little Silver Police Department. He said the officers there have been very cooperative and kept him informed about everything they have been doing in the matter.

Boden said the family has looked into private schools for their child to try and shield her from being known as "the racial slur girl." However, after settling on a school, Boden said, the family decided it would not be a solution because they feared the incident would follow her there.

Boden, who said he feels he has not gotten the full story from school officials, said he is reserving judgment on his daughter’s guilt or innocence. He did say he suspects subsequent developments influenced the process of determining what occurred and how the incident was handled. He said he believes that some key statements by his daughter and another student were not considered in the judgment made by the board.

Boden said he would like the board to hear his daughter’s version of events and wants it to give proper consideration given to the statement of another student, not involved in the incident, who was with his daughter during much of the time when she is reported to have made the statement.

He added that, when all the evidence is considered, if it was still determined that his daughter had committed the infraction, a punishment was warranted; but what has already happened is far worse than she deserves, even if everything said so far is true.

Westervelt, however, is satisfied with the course of events.

"The family has a right to know what the student is charged with, and what evidence there is, and they have a right to hear that evidence," he said. "We have done everything according to law."

As it stands now, the student will return to Red Bank Regional in September.