Will Fall Travel Plans Mean Remote School? In Maplewood, Maybe

MAPLEWOOD, NJ — A popular meme that's been spreading around social media points out that the Delta variant of coronavirus is threatening to derail American's fall plans, whatever those plans might be. Since students will return to school in a few weeks, fall travel plans may also derail New Jersey districts' attempts to keep their kids learning inside school buildings.

As school districts across New Jersey try to keep up with changing guidance from the state, they've had to decide whether to ask students to quarantine after they travel internationally or to states with high COVID transmission.

Last year, families had to quarantine upon returning, putting their kids on remote learning. But what about fall 2021?

Earlier this summer, the state Department of Education discouraged remote learning, saying schools "must plan to provide full-day, full-time, in-person instruction and operations for the 2021-2022 school year."

But the guidance is ever-changing due to the highly transmissable Delta variant of the virus. In June, Gov. Phil Murphy said each district could make its own rules about masks, but two weeks ago, he changed course and said masks in class will be mandated.

As for travel plans, New Jersey districts have been differing in how they handle them.

Districts Differ On Travel Plans

On Monday, Summit Superintendent of Schools Scott Hough — whose students start class in just 13 days, on Aug. 30 — said that as of now, families who travel domestically will not have to quarantine or take a coronavirus test upon a return to school. However, unvaccinated kids who travel internationally during the school year will have to learn remotely.

Children under 12 cannot be vaccinated against COVID, for the time being.

"We recognize how integral a well-rounded and consistent education is for the development and success of all of our students," Hough wrote in a letter on Monday introducing the district's plan. "... However, as we approach the third school year dealing with COVID, we have to be mindful of the conditions and trends in our community."

But in the South Orange-Maplewood School District, Superintendent Ronald Taylor's tentative plan for travel has caused a stir.

In that district, unvaccinated students will have to quarantine for a minimum of seven days upon return from states outside of those contiguous to New Jersey, no matter what their test results show, the superintendent said Monday.

According to a story in TAPInto, Taylor told the school board at its Monday meeting that he had received questions about the travel guidance. He clarified that students will have to quarantine if they travel outside of New Jersey, Connecticut, Delaware, New York, and Pennsylvania.

Taylor told the board that even if they test negative, students will have to quarantine for at least seven days. However, he noted that education plans for those students may include hybrid learning. "The messaging is very fluid because the science, honestly, is evolving. Please understand that this, again, is an update as of today," he said, according to the TAPInto story.

Kids And COVID In NJ

In New Jersey, Health Commissioner Judith Persichilli said last week that area doctors are concerned about the rising rate of pediatric hospitalizations from COVID-19. READ MORE: Rise In Child COVID Hospitalizations Prompts Vaccination Plea

Last week, 13 children were in New Jersey hospitals with COVID-19, including two in the intensive care unit, said Persichilli. READ MORE: NJ Hospital Preps For COVID Surge As Kids Set To Return To School

More than 618,000 Americans have now died from COVID (see which states have the highest recent death rates here). Most of those hospitalized with the virus are unvaccinated, say officials at the hospitals.

Read more:

• COVID Hospitalizations Spike In NJ As Delta Variant Spreads
• Rise In Child COVID Hospitalizations Prompts Vaccination Plea
• NJ Hospital Preps For COVID Surge As Kids Set To Return To School
• NJ Mom Urges: Listen to COVID 'Long-Haulers'
• 4 Things To Know About The Delta Variant Of Coronavirus In NJ
• New Jersey Town Says: Get Vaccinated Or No Spaghetti For You
• 200 Students And Teachers In Florida County Have Virus In First Week Of School

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