NJ Passes Bill To Educate Kids On Police Interaction

The New Jersey state Assembly moved to pass a bill that would require schools to teach students how to interact with the police.

Assembly bill A1114 was first introduced in 2016, emphasizing that kids be taught “the role and responsibilities of a law enforcement official in providing for public safety; and an individual’s responsibilities to comply with a directive from a law enforcement official,” according to NBC News.

The curriculum for the law, which would go into effect with the 2018-2019 school year, will include instruction on public safety, interacting with law enforcement officials, and a person’s rights when interacting with police, according to Fox News.

Starting in kindergarten, the bill would begin educating kids how to talk with police “in a manner marked by mutual cooperation and respect.”

Zellie Imani, a New Jersey teacher and activist, argued that the bill constitutes “victim-blaming,” putting the brunt of the responsibility on kids to successfully interact with police, according got NBC News.

“This legislation does not empower young people, especially those living in brown and black communities,” said Imani.

“Instead, it empowers law enforcement by allowing them to continue to evade accountability for abuse and misconduct while forcing the burden on the public.”

Sheila Oliver, a New Jersey Assemblywoman and bill sponsor, argued that the bill is essential when it comes to re-educating youth about police and re-establishing helpful community relationships.

“The number of police related shootings around the nation [has] created a mistrust of police in many communities,” said Oliver.

“This can help rebuild the trust that is essential for law enforcement to work. This is a lesson many parents already teach to their children. Making it part of the school curriculum is the next logical step.”

Other states have lobbied to implement similar programs in their legislature, including Texas’ Senate Bill 30 in, which includes provisions for police to undergo analogous training on how to interact with civilians.

Such provisions are becoming increasingly relevant as the presence of law enforcement in schools becomes greater.

“I have seen 6 and 8 year old students who’ve witnessed their parents taken away by police and by ICE agents be forced by their school to sit through sessions where cops explain how to be respectful toward them,” said Jared Ware, host of the Beyond Prisons podcast.

Some have expressed worry that such bills advocate compliance among civilians, though a Pratt Criminal Justice Transparency Fellow with the American Civil Liberties Union explained that such education can work both ways.

“Knowing your rights helps you to know when they are violated,” said the ACLU’s Portia Allen-Kyle.

“Originally it was a bill that instructed students to comply with police without really paying attention to their rights,” she said.    

Sources: NBC News, Fox News / Photo credit: alamosbasement/Flickr, Elvert Barnes/Flickr, The U.S. Army/Flickr