TRENTON, NJ – After months of remote learning in 2020 and 2021, both New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy and President Joe Biden pushed for in-school learning. The decision was made after noticeable declines in the educational quality for students and social and emotional trauma caused by remote learning during the first two waves of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Now, with omicron spreading, at least 34 school districts, represent over 300,000 of the 1.28 million students, or 25% of all students in New Jersey that won’t be returning to school tomorrow.
Earlier in the year, Murphy said New Jersey schools would remain open for in-class instruction and that there would be no remote options on the table.
“We’re taking steps to make sure that kids, educators, and staff are healthy. Absent, please God, any outbreak — which would require quarantine — we’re back in business in school in person Monday through Friday, with masks,” he said.
Earlier in the week, Vineland, Paterson, New Brunswick, North Bergen, West New York, Union, Harrison, Bayonne, Carteret, Camden, Linden, Irvington, South Orange, Kearny, East Newark, Weehawken, Hoboken, Jersey City, Guttenberg, and Trenton all announced remote learning options starting Monday.
Now, East Brunswick, Prospect Park, Roselle, Lakehurst, South Plainfield, Elizabeth, Rahway, Newark, South Brunswick, Piscataway, Perth Amboy, Hackensack, Upper Township, and Pennsauken have joined the list of districts not reopening in person tomorrow.