Holmdel schools late to the game, but cafeteria covid-19 plexiglass shields finally removed from cafeterias

HOLMDEL, NJ – New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy dropped the school masking and COVID-19 safety requirements for students on March 7th. It wasn’t until two weeks later that the Holmdel School Board decided to finally get rid of their ridiculous lunch room plexiglass dividers.

On March 21st, the district took down the useless plexiglass shields and ended the equally useless COVID-19 quarantines. But if you think that piece of plastic will protect your child from COVID-19, the district will allow you to keep your child behind one upon request.

The absurd draconian restrictions during COVID-19 for students ordered by the governor were voluntarily extended by the district for an additional 14 days. The idea is that a small plexiglass shield would stop the spread of COVID-19 in a cafeteria as students ate unmasked.

It was one of the last acts by Acting Superintendent Art Howard before the board installed Scott Cascone as the new superintendent.

“After reviewing current district Covid-19 data, we are pleased to share that there has been a dramatic decrease in Covid-19 positive cases among staff and students. This information, coupled with downward trending local and regional data, has led to the following change in our district’s procedures,” Howard said in a statement in March. “Effective Monday, March 21, 2022, temperature checks will no longer be required for students and staff upon entry into school buildings. In addition, all plexiglass shields will subsequently be removed from cafeteria tables in our two elementary schools. Please note that parents and guardians will have the ability to opt-in for their child to continue using the plastic shield during lunch if they so choose.”

Howard was named interim superintendent after former Superintendent Leroy Seitz was accused of sexual harassment, including lap dances from female employees, joking about pedophilia, and other inappropriate comments to female staffers. Seitz resigned on December 15th. Seitz served as interim superintendent from May 2020 to December 2021.

Phil Stilton Latest posts

Phil Stilton is the Editor and Publisher of Shore News Network, an independent digital newsroom providing original reporting on New Jersey, national news, government, public policy, public safety, courts, and community affairs.

As founder of the publication, Stilton leads editorial strategy, investigative reporting, and daily newsroom operations while overseeing coverage that reaches millions of readers annually.

With extensive experience covering municipal government, county government, state legislatures, elections, law enforcement, emergency management, and public records, Stilton specializes in translating complex government actions into clear, factual reporting. His work frequently relies on primary source documents, including court filings, legislation, public meeting records, election finance disclosures, government databases, police reports, and Freedom of Information and Open Public Records Act (OPRA) requests. He has reported extensively on local government accountability, taxpayer spending, campaign finance, public corruption investigations, infrastructure, public safety, and the policies affecting New Jersey residents.

Under Stilton's editorial leadership, Shore News Network has grown into one of New Jersey's largest independent digital news organizations, publishing thousands of original news articles each year while providing breaking news coverage, investigative reporting, and analysis across state and local government. The publication's reporting is routinely sourced from official government agencies, public officials, court records, and firsthand documentation, with a commitment to transparency, attribution, corrections when warranted, and clearly distinguishing factual reporting from opinion.

Stilton's journalism follows established newsroom standards emphasizing accuracy, verification, fairness, and accountability. Every effort is made to verify information through official records and multiple reliable sources before publication. His reporting is intended to provide readers with timely, well-documented information that helps them understand the issues affecting their communities, while maintaining editorial independence from political parties, government agencies, advocacy organizations, and commercial interests.

Readers can submit story tips, corrections, public records, or media inquiries through the official Shore News Network website or its verified social media channels. Shore News Network welcomes corrections and updates when new information becomes available as part of its ongoing commitment to accurate and transparent journalism.