By JAMES BARR, HADASSAH EDELKOPF and JACOB LoCASCIO
A year after the COVID-19 pandemic forced students into remote learning and classes held partly in-person and at home, parents across New Jersey remain divided about whether to fully reopen schools.
Many of the parents who wish to reopen schools believe that the absence of in person instruction has caused their children to fall behind academically. They also bemoan the lack of socialization for their children in virtual formats. Parents who take a more cautionary stance express reluctance over exposing their children to the virus in schools, especially if schools are not prepared to undertake social distancing and other COVID-19 safety measures.
“The schools will be better for the children, but it’s dangerous to their health,” said Elizabeth Klienfeld, mother of two boys from Englewood, New Jersey. “They need to be around other kids, but its not a win-win situation.”
The move to bring students back to the classroom has been bumpy for parents. As COVID-19 spread in 2020 and new variants appeared this year, the decision to resume in-person classes became complicated. But the vaccine for teachers and students could be a game changer, observers say.
According to a recent poll by Change Research and Project Ready in February 2021, only 13 percent of all New Jersey parents wish for schools to reopen full-time in person.
A survey conducted in July 2020 by Fairleigh Dickinson shows that 46 percent of New Jersey residents said that the schools should open with cautionary measures. 42 percent wished for learning to remain virtual, as they believed in person instruction was still unsafe.
“Of course I want the schools to stay open. There is nothing more than my kids and I need right now,” said Melissa Appel, a mother of five children who attend Yeshiva of North Jersey Elementary School.
Governor Murphy announced in August that he would implement Executive Order 175, which allowed pre-K-12 schools as well as colleges and universities to reopen in person as long as they met health and safety protocols.
Murphy has recently expressed desire to reopen schools to a greater extent. In a press conference on Mar. 10, Murphy appeared to fully support the decision to push for more in-person instruction.
“Getting all of our students back in their familiar school surroundings, learning alongside their friends and in classrooms headed by their dedicated educators and support staff is among our top priorities,” he said.
We need our schools reopened and our children back in the classrooms.
#OpenSchoolsNow pic.twitter.com/EjYbnfdbY6— Senator Ted Cruz (@SenTedCruz) March 4, 2021
Do New Jersey students prefer in-person, hybrid or remote classes?
Students in New Jersey have been learning in several formats during the pandemic, such as remote classes, half in-person and half remote classes, or hybrid formats, and in-person classes.
The potential for a complete shift to in-person classes comes at a time when students have become increasingly disillusioned with virtual and hybrid formats.
The debate between hybrid and in person classes is especially relevant in New Jersey, where about 74,000 students are taking in person classes and more than 760,000 are taking hybrid courses according to Governor Murphy in a press conference on Mar. 1.
Hybrid classes in particular have challenged students over the course of the pandemic to adjust to the difficulties that come with both in-person and remote learning.
“[Hybrid instruction] was just atrocious,” said Vito Caprio, a NJIT student who has taken several hybrid classes. “It wasn’t as good as it could’ve been being back in person.”
Ideally, hybrid formats combine the best elements of both virtual and in-person instruction. However, students have found that mixing the two formats produced more complications than solutions.
Caprio had no problems adjusting himself to hybrid classes; however, he found that his teachers did not handle the format well. He described how his teachers attempted to cater to the students who attended the class online, an action which detracted from the quality of education for the in person students.
“In person [instruction] just seemed that you were just the outcast sitting there trying to comprehend what the teacher was saying when they’re trying to teach the online kids,” said Caprio.
Gov. Kate Brown has told school districts to return to either fully in-person or hybrid learning, with classroom sessions to resume this month for lower grades.https://t.co/37ODOkj6MJ
— OPB (@OPB) March 5, 2021
Although New Jersey residents have been enthusiastic about reopening in general, not all residents support a complete shift to in-person classes.
According to a survey of 960 respondants in the New Jersey, Change Research and Project Ready survey, 55 percent still prefer hybrid models.
Although the vast majority of parents favor hybrid formats, the demands of those who call for in person instruction remain resolute.
Batya Cohhn from Teaneck, New Jersey, the mother of four boys who have attended school in person and virtually, explains that having children at home for an extended period of time has interfered with her work.
“I have to make ends meet to bring food to the table. I can’t sit home and watch my kids,” she said. “They need food and a home more than they need school.”
The Future of Reopenings
Still, some schools across New Jersey have been making preparations to receive students in-person full time.
Governor Murphy announced on Mar. 1 that pre-K through 12 educators and support staff will be eligible for vaccination. This will make reopening schools in person a realistic possibility.
“We would fully expect, assuming things go the direction they’re going, that we will be in person for school in September,” said Murphy.
Only 110 of 811 New Jersey school districts are open for all in person instruction, according to Governor Murphy. However, other schools may soon follow suit.
Lisa Blauvelt, a history teacher at Sussex County Technical School, explained that her school planned to reopen this month.
“Seniors are invited to come back full time March 15th everyday and full time, but we’re not sure about other grades,” she said.
Some schools will make provisions for certain students who need in person instruction.
Sarah Andresen teaches reading and writing at the Sussex County Charter School for Technology, for grades 6th through 8th. She explained that the school is trying to grant certain students, such as the special education population, the ability to attend in person classes everyday.
[AUDIO: Sarah Andresen explains her school’s plans for reopening.]
Once schools do fully reopen in person, restrictions and protective measures will need to be met in order to create a safe environment for students and staff.
Schools Require Health Gear for In-Person Instruction
Schools in New Jersey are required to follow health and safety guidelines which require students and staff to socially distance, use disinfectants, and wear a mask unless a medical condition prohibits doing so.
These guidelines have been difficult to implement as both students and school districts struggle to adjust to them. They have also been costly to the school districts that have to equip the desks with shields to accommodate social distancing.
Children in particular have been challenged with the task of keeping their mask on in accordance with guidelines.
“It’s a huge challenge for my son to keep his mask on in school. I constantly get calls from the principal’s office that he can’t keep it on,” Batya Cohhn said.
[AUDIO: Meir Cohhn, the son of Batya, describes his experience attending schools in person.]
Some school officials have recommended that parents train their children to wear masks in order to build up their “mask endurance”.
The expensive cost of safety gear presents another challenge to following the guidelines.
The CDC estimated that materials and consumables required for schools to implement COVID-19 mitigation strategies will cost around $55 per student. In total, materials and consumables, additional custodial staff members, and potential additional transportation may cost $442 per student.
Despite the costs and risks, parents remain determined to send their kids to school.
“I don’t care how they get the masks and the glass shields,” said Dana Lachey, mother of three children who attend Ben Parat Yosef Elementary School. “Our kids need it to go to school every day and learn to be the people they will become.”
I really like the use of links throughout the story because they are common and very relevant. I also like how your quotes are presented differently making them stand out more. If I knew how to do that part specifically I would have incorporated it in my story. Your story is very informative and definitely captures how life has changed because of COVID, specifically mentioning the children and mask endurance. Overall I thought you guys did a really good job at reporting and it is a great article.
I liked all the multimedia in this story, the audio clips were great. I think it was smart to include perspectives of teachers, students, and parents. It was also interesting to hear a young student talk about his experience, rather than hearing a high school or college student. I think the story gave a lot of good information, from explaining the current situation, students’ and teachers’ opinions, as well as the surveys included. There are a lot of different sources in this story.
The article does a solid job of explaining the change in the public’s feelings regarding in-person schooling from last year to this year. It’s clear that New Jersey is on track to fully reopen schools for next year, so I think it’s great how you got multiple audio clips from teachers and students discussing the need for in-person schooling.