Njea wants to keep your children in masks as murphy's 90-day extension request is unlikely to pass before tuesday

NJEA wants to keep your children in masks as Murphy’s 90-day extension request is unlikely to pass before Tuesday

by
January 7, 2022
2 mins read

TRENTON, NJ – The New Jersey Education Association is in a fit this week after the union learned that Phil Murphy’s request to keep children in public schools indefinitely trapped behind a face mask is in jeopardy of being rejected.

The governor’s school mask mandate is at risk of expiring on Tuesday which would position Murphy to declare another COVID-19 state of emergency this weekend, into Monday.

Instead, lawmakers are reportedly working on a 45-day extension for the pandemic power-hungry governor as both Democrats and Republicans are heading into an important 2022 midterm that could end up giving Republicans a powerful election platform for the congressional midterms.

Earlier this evening, public reports indicated that Senate President Steve Sweeney is unwilling to include an extension to the mask mandate currently in place in New Jersey’s public schools as part of a resolution before the Legislature to reauthorize certain COVID safety measures that are otherwise set to expire on Tuesday, Jan. 11. 

“We are appalled at the idea that any member of the New Jersey Legislature would fail to support an extension of the mask mandate in our public schools that has helped protect students and staff during the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. At a time when cases are surging and schools across New Jersey are struggling to remain open for in-person instruction, it is beyond irresponsible to let that vital safety measure lapse when it is supported by health, science, and common sense,” NJEA President Sean M. Spiller said in a statement. “Under current conditions, legislators should be looking for every opportunity to protect students and staff and help ensure that they can learn in the safest possible environment despite the staggering number of COVID cases New Jersey is experiencing. It is educational malpractice to ignore public health experts and to allow this important protection to lapse.”

As resentment against teacher’s unions grows across the United States, a movement is also growing against the union here in New Jersey as political alignment with the NJEA could spell political suicide for state assemblymen and legislators heading into the 2023 assembly election after Republicans gained seats in the 2021 red wave.

Alignment with the NJEA could spell doom for Democrats in the state assembly as parents call for an end to the mask mandate in public schools.

“Throughout this pandemic, we have called on the state and local school districts to follow the guidance of public health experts, which overwhelmingly recommends masking as a critical COVID-prevention measure. The failure to include this basic step to protect children would be dangerous, irresponsible, and demonstrates a callous disregard for the health of the students and staff of New Jersey’s public schools,” the NJEA said. “We call on Senate President Sweeney and Assembly Speaker Coughlin to step up and lead on this critical issue by ensuring that New Jersey’s school masking mandate stays in place until public health officials agree that it can safely be modified or removed. Until then, it is up to the 120 members of the New Jersey Legislature to join Gov. Murphy in ensuring that our schools are as safe as possible for all students and staff.”

In the end, Democrats could also be playing the blame game and by rejecting Murphy’s request, positioning the governor to declare a new state of emergency in which Democrat lawmakers will be able to distance themselves from the governor and the union.

Phil Stilton
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.

  1. Jackson 21 Was Marketed as ‘A Great Place for Really Nice People.’ Now It’s Facing Religious Gender Segregation Claims
  2. PJM’s Wind and Solar Couldn’t Keep Up When Americans Needed it Most in July
  3. New Jersey Town Where ICE Agent Was Run Down Passes Resolution Urging Repeal of Sanctuary State Policies
  4. New Jersey Dem Lawmakers Move to Expand Assault Rifle Ban As Court Rules Existing Law Unconstitutional