JACKSON, NJ – Parents upset with Governor Phil Murphy’s school mask mandate and the Jackson Board of Education’s acceptance of the mandate are now threatening to pull their students and start homeschooling.
“Please be advised that the shoes placed in the parking lot of the Jackson Township Board of Education administrative building are to represent how many students will be pulled from the Jackson Township School district and homeschooled should further mandates be put into effect,” the group said in a message left on the door Sunday night at the building.
Although Governor Phil Murphy said there are no plans for a student vaccination mandate at this time, that could change, as the governor added, “Nothing is off the table.”
Parents are worried about the state pushing more COVID-19 mandates such as vaccinations and a mask mandate that would extend beyond Murphy’s current January 11th expiration date.
“On behalf of all the parents in our district who are against these unconstitutional mandates, we ask that you please contact Governor Murphy and NJ elected officials and oppose these unnecessary mandates!” the letter continued. “We will not live in fear and oppression, we will not teach our children to fear one another! We believe we know what is best for our children and these decisions should be left to us.”
The group left dozens of pairs of shoes at the door of the building on Don Connor Boulevard, adding they will pick them up at 10:00 am, hoping the district does not simply discard the children’s shoes Monday morning.
Jackson Township’s public schools have been faced with declining enrollment. The district’s state funding is based on student enrollment.
One of the signs left at the front door read, “Don’t be Phil Murphy’s Puppet”.
The school district was not available to be contacted when this story was published early Monday morning for comment.
