Glen Rock School Parent Caused Lockdown Over COVID Policies: Cops

GLEN ROCK, NJ — An angry parent forced the Academy of Our Lady School into lockdown after trying to enter the building. Police said he was upset about the school's COVID-19 policies.

Multiple officers were dispatched to the school, 180 Rodney St., in response to an "irate and aggressive individual on Wednesday morning." That person was identified by police as a 46-year-old Ridgewood man, who is a parent of an Academy of Our Lady student.

The parent was "aggressively knocking" on doors and windows at the school which forced school officials to place the building into a lockdown "in order to protect the students," police said.

Despite causing a lockdown, officers and school administration said he eventually left the area without causing further problems. No charges were filed because the man "left peacefully," Chief of Police Dean Ackermann said.

"Officers were able to calm the man down and acknowledge that his behavior had caused a disruption at the school. The principal explained what he needed to do in order to comply with school policy and the man left the area without further incident," police said.

According to Ackermann, "a lock down is activated at the discretion of a school building administrator based upon a perceived threat, in order to prevent threats and intruders from gaining access into school buildings and preventing them from moving through the building. It is always a best practice to stop a threat from gaining entry, in order to protect students and staff until police can arrive to confront the person."

Though students at the Academy of Our Lady School are learning in-person COVID-19 protocols remain at schools in Bergen County. But Gov. Phil Murphy made it clear that in-person classes will return across the state next year, and gave an update on what protocols may linger.

Murphy said that, since school districts will return to full in-person remote learning for the 2021-22 academic year, there will no longer be a full-remote option. Summer school programs are not impacted. More details on what the safety guidelines and protocols will be for the next school year should be expected in June, Murphy said. Read more: NJ Lifts COVID Travel Advisory, Orders In-Person School Next Year

"We are facing a much different world than one year ago when we had to begin planning for this school year," Murphy said. "We know much more about this virus and how it spreads. We have much more on-the-ground experience in fighting it. We have a robust vaccination program that now reaches adolescents as young as 12. As time moves forward, we will gain more knowledge and more tools. We know that we can get back fully in-person safely with the right protocols in place, and that is what we all should be planning to do."

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