On September 15, 2022, Morris County Prosecutor’s Office Supervising Assistant Prosecutor Samantha DeNegri and Sergeant Patrick LaGuerre discussed discriminatory conduct with the students at Halsted Middle School in Newton.
The MCPO routinely conducts presentations at schools throughout Morris County and the surrounding region to engage with area youth about exercising good judgment regarding how they interact with others online or in school.
SAP DeNegri and Sgt. LaGuerre stressed that students should be mindful of what they post and how they interact on social media because how they conduct themselves online could potentially impact their future.
Social media and technology today document everything, even photos and messages that a person assumes were deleted, including ones thought to be private.
This data can be accessed and potentially shared after being deleted, they said. Furthermore, SAP DeNegri and Sgt. LaGuerre explained the difference between bias crimes and bias incidents, cautioning students that their school administrators can choose to take disciplinary action even if an incident isn’t considered criminal.
Students were also allowed to ask questions following the presentation.
Morris County Prosecutor Robert J. Carroll said, “Supervising Assistant Prosecutor DeNegri and Sgt. LaGuerre continues to expand its reach to students throughout the area to discuss the potential immediate and long-term adverse impacts of discriminatory behavior and offers advice to resist such behavior.”
IMAGE: [L-R: Detective Judy Torres, Newton Police Dept.; School Assistant Principal Angela Dunbar; Sally Monkemeier, Sussex County Prosecutor’s Office; Supervising Assistant Prosecutor Samantha DeNegri, Morris County Prosecutors Office; School Principal Samantha Castro; Detective Jared Zapp, Newton Police Dept.; Sgt. Patrick LaGuerre, Morris County Prosecutor’s Office]