The Secaucus Town council got an earful on Wednesday from Secaucus High School students who were irked about everything from “police harassment” and bullying, to youth license restrictions, and the cost of school uniforms.
These and other concerns were raised during a special council meeting at the Arthur F. Couch Performing Arts Center at Secaucus High School, held as part of Student Government Day. Nineteen students joined the regular council members at the meeting, with specific students playing each department head, as well as the town administrator, town clerk, and town attorney. One student also filled the role of mayor, while six others shadowed the council members.
The council members got an earful from the students.
________
“We tried to gear the agenda to them so there were a lot of things they could relate to,” said Mayor Michael Gonnelli.
Policeman on the hot seat
Comments and questions from students ran the gamut.
“It has come to my attention that the police officers in this town have almost been harassing young people in this town,” said 11th grader Matthew Belen. He recounted a story of being told by two Secaucus police officers to move away from someplace where he had been standing on the public street.
“I asked why, and the officers wouldn’t really give me a straight answer,” he added. “I’ve seen that happen before, too.”
Noting that Police Chief Dennis Corcoran was in attendance at the meeting, Gonnelli asked him to respond to Belen’s question.
Corcoran told Belen to give him more information after the meeting so he could investigate. But Belen pointed out that one of the officers involved was present at the meeting, so Corcoran facilitated a meeting backstage between Belen and the cop.
In a similar vein, Anthony Rojas, a senior, was angry that an officer wrote his mother a citation because she wouldn’t move her parked car. Explaining that his mother’s arm is broken and she can’t drive, Rojas said, “I think the cops should have more sensitivity when handling a situation like this.”
“I understand your frustration,” the mayor responded. “But there are laws in place and it’s the officer’s job to enforce those laws.”
However, the mayor said he would pay the mother’s parking ticket.
Linda Echeverry, a senior, wanted to know why the school system disciplines students for alleged misdeeds that take place off-campus. Town Attorney Anthony D’Elia gave her a detailed explanation of how off-campus problems often follow students onto school grounds.
Freshman Michelle Mancini had concerns about the cost of school uniforms. Tugging her shirt, she said, “This costs $35. For $35 I could go to a store and get something of better quality.”
A number of the students’ questions had more to do with policies set by the Board of Education than by the Town Council. Gonnelli suggested that Mancini take her concerns to the school board, which sets the school uniform policy.
Angelica Barile, a 10th grader, addressed the top concern of most residents: the lack of a supermarket in town.
“I noticed that we have a lot of stores over where the mall used to be,” Barile stated. “But why do we not have a supermarket? We have, like, three furniture stores, we have everything else –”
Barile received thunderous applause from her peers.
More ‘Days’ ahead
Several students praised the forum.
Joe Rizzolo, a junior, said he was most interested in hearing about the “ordinances that are being put into place with young drivers, and [policies] pertaining to school … I can say from personal experience that certain things have come into question with the school uniforms. They should either enforce the uniform policy or tone it down.”
Not all students were impressed with the meeting.
“I think that these people need to know what they’re talking about,” said freshman Allison Rodriguez. “They say they want to answer questions, but they didn’t answer half the questions people gave them.”
The council will have another opportunity to impress this future voter and taxpayer. SHS Principal Deidre Ertle has already told Mayor Gonnelli she’s likely to hold two Student Government Days during the next school year.
E-mail E. Assata Wright at awright@hudsonreporter.com.