Student discipline must be reviewed Most citizens of Woodbridge would be horrified, but perhaps not completely surprised, to discover that a young student recently composed a threat to kill one of his teachers. What they might find incomprehensible is that the Board of Education would decide to return the student to the same school after just a short period of time. Of course, we understand that all students have due process rights. But the citizens of Woodbridge have a right to expect their elected officials to show good judgment in matters of public safety. The teachers of our public schools have a right to feel supported in maintaining rules of discipline and civility. Parents have the right to a school environment in which their children feel safe. Students have a right to an education with a consistent and strong message- it is impermissible to harm or to threaten harm to another person. A few years back, the Board of Education adopted a declaration of "zero tolerance" regarding school violence. This apparently has been replaced with "zero judgment". Everyday, teachers and other adults in our school community promote character education. Respect, integrity, responsibility, and fairness are not just words on a vocabulary test. They are values we try to instill in our students. But how do we teach these values when the official actions of the school district do not reflect them. How do we instill discipline and maintain order when the authority and credibility of teachers are undermined? What is clear is that we need a complete review of student discipline and school safety policies in our school district and a firm commitment to enforcement. No one ever again should hear the message that threats of violence against a teacher or any other member of the school community are unimportant. Brian Geoffroy President Woodbridge Township Education Association