Bridgewater-Raritan School Board Sends Letter To Murphy Asking For Virtual Learning Option

BRIDGEWATER, NJ — The Bridgewater-Raritan Regional School Board sent a letter to Gov. Phil Murphy asking for a statewide virtual learning option for select students.

The letter is asking for the option to be available to students under 12 that cannot be vaccinated due to the lack of availability of an FDA-approved COVID-19 vaccine for this population. And also older children who cannot be vaccinated due to other health conditions.

"The Bridgewater-Raritan Regional School District Board of Education recognizes the value of a virtual learning environment for some students outside of the public health emergency and encourages the New Jersey Department of Education to continue to provide this alternative indefinitely to meet the needs of such students," according to the resolution and letter passed.

"If New Jersey cannot offer statewide virtual learning options, then the Bridgewater-Raritan Regional School District Board of Education asks that each school district or collection of school districts, shall be allowed to offer virtual learning options to this population that will be recognized as meeting state education requirements," according to the resolution.

The letter was sent last week by the board yet it was not supported unanimously. The resolution was approved with a 6 to 3 vote with Steven Singer, Lynne Hurley and Barry Walker voting against it.

"I have grave concern about putting our staff where they have to split attention again," said Singer during the Sept. 16 meeting. "I support investigating this going forward, but I do not support the resolution."

Singer added that there is a lot more information needed and possibly a survey would need to be sent out to the district before sending a letter to Murphy.

"I have concerns because this is such a huge issue that we need to consider a plan before we consider a simple resolution. This is not a simple answer. We have seven different elementary schools that we would need to pull kids from to do this kind of thing," said Singer. "It's not something that can be flipped on like a switch... Absolutely we can look at virtual options but it's not something that is so easy."

Board President Jackie Barlow said the resolution is simply to ask Murphy to change the mandate to be able to have virtual school.

"We are not saying Bridgewater will implement it," said Barlow. "My personal feeling is yes we should… we are just asking for a legitimate option to be put on the table."

Jean Lee, who voted in favor of the resolution, said she felt it was important as a mother of five children.

"I can feel the fear of the parents," said Lee. "Maybe the are kids OK but they have elderly people at home... I think having an option of virtual or hybrid is very important."

Hurley said she felt as the Board was pushing this letter through too quickly without enough discussion.

"I don't think we should ask for something when we aren't ready to provide it at this time," said Hurley. "If he approves it and then we have to do this and now we are in a bind. I am not opposed to looking into this but I am opposed to pushing this through."

Barlow reiterated that it came down to the health and safety of the students. She added the COVID-19 is unpredictable and stressed the importance of acting now.

The letter was sent to Murphy along with the New Jersey Department of Education and New Jersey School Board Association.

A Bridgewater mother Karen Strauss, who is one of four local moms who formed the New Jersey Parents for Virtual Choice, has been pushing for a virtual option in schools since May. Her statewide petition has since gained steam with more than 27,000 signatures from parents. Read More: Push For Virtual School Option In NJ Gains Steam As Delta Spreads

Mayor Matthew Moench said he was disappointed upon hearing of the school board's letter.

"It is an atrocity and anyone who voted for that should be ashamed," said Moench.

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