To: Teresa Ruiz, State Senator, Shirley Turner, State Senator, Diane Allen, State Senator, Sheila Oliver, Assemblywoman, Thomas P. Giblin (NJ-34), Troy Singleton (NJ-7), Shirley K. Turner (NJ-15), M. Teresa Ruiz (NJ-29), and The New Jers...

Stop Assembly Bill A1114

Stop NJ Bill A1114 from Requiring Schools to Teach K-12 Children how to Interact with Police.

Why is this important?

On Thursday, June 22nd the New Jersey state Assembly passed a bill that would require schools to teach children from K-12 how to interact with police. Assembly Bill A1114 passed in the Assembly 76-0 and was sent to the State Senate Education Committee. The primary sponsors of the bill were Sheila Oliver, Mila Jasey, and Cleopatra Tucker, who represent the Assembly.

This bill shifts the burden of a police encounter from the law enforcement professional to the child. The bill requires children to be taught "mutual cooperation;" however, nowhere in the bill does it require law enforcement professionals to be properly trained in respecting the rights guaranteed to every child under the Constitution. The initial version of the bill required schools to teach students how to comply with law enforcement officials but ignored teaching students about their constitutionally protected rights.

Out of the nine organizations on the advisory committee, six will represent the law enforcement and public education institutions. Assembly Bill A1114 will strip power from the parent and instead entrust the public education and law enforcement stakeholders to craft a curriculum for your child. Do not let the state indoctrinate your child with a curriculum that shifts the burden on them.

The National Independent Black Parent Association is calling on all parents to sign the petition and call NJ Senators to tell them you do not support Bill A1114. Also contact State Senators Teresa Ruiz, Shirley Turner, Diane Allen, James Beach, and Michael Doherty, who are members of the state Senate Education Committee.