Parents Protest As Scotch Plains–Fanwood Schools Shift To Virtual

SCOTCH PLAINS/FANWOOD, NJ — Parents, in favor of in-person learning, are hosting a rally Monday after the Scotch Plains-Fanwood School District announced it will switch all students to virtual learning for the next two months due to the spike in cases of the coronavirus.

Superintendent of SP-F Schools Dr. Joan Mast sent a letter to parents on Sunday saying that since the district reopened for in-person, hybrid learning there have been 15 COVID-19 positive cases impacting 6 schools and 84 people in quarantine. All of these cases happened outside of the school district.

"Due to the significant increases in COVID-19 cases throughout our state and community, and after careful consideration of the risks associated with continued in-person instruction, Scotch Plains – Fanwood School District will shift to full remote learning for all students, including special education students, from Monday, Nov. 16 through Friday, Jan. 15, 2021," Mast said.

Students are scheduled to return for in-person instruction on Tuesday, Jan. 19.

"The district reserves the right to extend remote learning if circumstances warrant it, or in the event it is required by the state of New Jersey," Mast said.

The district's decision to shift to remote learning was made in consultation with the Union County Department of Health, the interim executive County Superintendent, the district lead nurse, the district Physician, and with the support of our Board of Education.

A Scotch Plains mother of three, Danielle Wildstein, has been a big proponent of having students return to in-person learning since before the beginning of the school year. She previously held a rally and launched a petition in August to get students inside schools for the 2020-21 school year.

"We need to challenge Dr. Mast and her decision to close schools FOR TWO MONTHS. Governor Murphy hasn't closed schools because our schools can still be open safely for in-person education," said Wildstein. "Our neighboring schools aren't closing because of community numbers, why are we? Give our children the chance for in-person education while schools are safe. We need to rally for our children's education as well as their social and emotional health."

The rally to open schools will be held on Monday at 4:45 p.m. at the Board of Education office at 512 Cedar St. in Scotch Plains. Participants are asked to bring their kids, friends, a sign, a mask, their voice, a megaphone, and their emotion. Social distancing rules will be in effect.

Scotch Plains-Fanwood students only recently returned to in-person, hybrid learning. Students were phased back into schools with the first students returning on Oct. 22. High School students were set to return Monday, but that has since been canceled. Read More: Scotch Plains-Fanwood School Releases Phased-In Reopening Plan

The district had initially held back on reopening for in-person learning citing health and safety issues related to the school buildings' ventilation systems.

The Board of Education hired E.I. Associates and Environmental Safety Management Corporation to evaluate the district's ventilation systems. The findings were presented at the Sept. 30 meeting.

Overall the reports showed that 45 percent of the district's buildings required maintenance and 8 percent required structural changes needed to provide ventilation.

The issues have since been corrected since then.

Gov. Murphy announced on Monday that the state will reduce limits on gatherings now that coronavirus cases have risen sharply.

Murphy told MSNBC's "Morning Joe" that New Jersey is reducing the limits on indoor gatherings from 25 to 10 people beginning Tuesday, and on outdoor gatherings from 500 to 150 people beginning on Nov. 23. Read More: Gov. Murphy: NJ To Lower Gathering Limits Amid COVID Case Spikes

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