Suspended students walked in graduation ceremonies
Class prez not allowed to give speech; none attended Project Graduation
BY KATHY CHANG
Staff Writer

SCOTT PILLING staff Despite the bad weather and the water balloon incident the day before that led to 30 student suspensions, all 425 seniors of the Woodbridge High School class of 2007 participated in graduation ceremonies that were held inside the school gymnasium June 21.

A water balloon fight intended as a senior prank left 30 Woodbridge High School students suspended last week - one day before their graduation.

The students were suspended after the water balloon fight escalated from the outside of the school in the early morning hours of June 20 into the school, where school officials said two teachers were struck by the water balloons. The suspension meant the students would not be allowed to attend their graduation and Project Graduation. And class President Gino Abbate, who was among the students suspended, would not be allowed to address his classmates at the graduation ceremony on June 21.

The decision by school officials and Schools Superintendent Vincent Smith to suspend the students brought an uproar among the students and their parents; however, after a special meeting with school administration and the Board of Education later that night, the board made the decision to rescind a portion of the students' suspension.

"Principal [Arthur Lee] Warren and Superintendent Smith followed the appropriate policy for student discipline, penalty procedures and actions," said board President Thomas "Skip" Garley.

Garley said that after receiving comments from the 75 or so people who attended the special meeting, which was held at the Avenel Middle School, the board went into closed session and decided to allow the students to attend their graduation.

"Normally, the students would have been suspended and would not be allowed to participate in any school functions for the duration of their suspension," said Garley, who said the board looked at the situation in a different light.

"Since this happened at this time of year, we decided to hold the special meeting," he said. "We felt graduation is a long-awaited journey and a happy occasion for the students as well as their parents, grandparents, sisters and brothers. That is why we decided to rescind the order."

However, the 30 students were still not allowed to attend Project Graduation, and class President Gino Abbate was not allowed to address his classmates during the graduation ceremony.

Garley said the incident could have easily become a major problem.

"The board does not condone this particular behavior at all," he said. "The incident was premeditated and resulted in a tremendous amount of water on the floors. The janitors could not clean the water fast enough."

After the 30 students and their parents learned of their suspension, they called upon attorney Michael Halbfish, whose firm Tunney and Halbfish, located on Main Street, is dedicated to advocating for people's rights. Halbfish is doing pro bono work for the students and their parents and immediately filed a class-action complaint against the administration's decision.

"Through negotiations with the school board, they made the decision to allow the students to attend graduation and refund their money for Project Graduation," said Halbfish.

Halbfish, who said he was "privileged and happy to work with the excellent group of students," continued to pursue the students' right to attend project graduation and Abbate's right to speak at graduation through the day on June 21.

"I am trying to help these kids out," said Halbfish, who said he was working on two hours of sleep to make things happen for the students. "They are denying Gino Abbate's First Amendment right to speak."

The graduation for the 425 Woodbridge High School seniors was held at 6:30 p.m. inside the high school auditorium. It was conducted without Abbate's speech.

Halbfish has looked at outside media outlets for Abbate to have the opportunity to read his speech. The attorney said News Channel 12 would televise Abbate's speech and the radio station New Jersey 101.5 would let Abbate present his speech on air.

Halbfish said it was important to know that this case was not about the school's clear discipline law.

"This case is about the students' entitlement to their due process rights and their right to fair treatment," he said. "The school administration acted in an arbitrary and capricious manner with their original punishment; however, at this time, the focus can shift to celebrating the accomplishments of these outstanding students."