Hampton parents and ‘The Book'

Hampton - “A three-day vacation” is how one angry parent described the punishment handed down by school administrators to four fifth-grade boys who were caught writing a book that describes violent acts against eleven girls, one teacher and the McKeown School principal. “The War of the Boys and the Girls: One Winning Team, Many Losses, Tons of Deaths,” was discovered by the boys’ teacher on Feb. 28. It was compiled over the course of two and a half years, not on school property, but at sleepovers at the boys’ homes. Upon the discovery of the book, the boys were suspended for three days and have undergone psychiatric evaluation at Newton Memorial Hospital, with test results pending. The Sussex County prosecutor’s office has informed the school, “no charges are being pressed,” said Superintendent Burns. Dozens of angry parents packed the school library for a board of education meeting Wednesday, March 28, at which Board President Joseph Santora read a previously written statement explaining how he and the entire board support the decisions and actions of the administrators. After the statements, parents were given the opportunity to comment. Nicole Stafford, mother of one of the girls targeted in the book, said, “I hear the boys are remorseful, but what about the girls?” She also said that she wanted assurance that her daughter was protected and safe. Kelly Smith, another mother of one of the girls mentioned in the book, explained to the board that a psychiatrist told her to remove her daughter from the school. “Who’s going to pay for that?” she asked the board. Hugh Chambers, who has children attending the school, said the school has “embraced a problem that started at home.” He also noted that the book is allegedly on a computer, and asked the board, “How many copies of this thing are going around?” He also told the board that they are opening up themselves to “vicarious liability” by offering counseling and support to all of the students at the school. Lorri Opitz, a mother who has had children at the school, said that the girls were traumatized, but that the community must remember that the boys did not realize the magnitude of their actions. “They (the boys) were checked out. Trust that police did what they had to do.” She also urged parents to relax and get back to “enjoying our families.” Another parent suggested that the boys be home-schooled until after the results from the test were released, saying this would benefit all parties involved.