In New Jersey the number of positive cases exceeded 1,000 for the third day in a row bringing the positivity rate to 1.13%. The growing numbers come as the state’s largest school district announced it will not bring students back to class in person and will keep remote learning through at least late January. New Jersey reporter Brian Thompson reports from Newark.
What to Know
- Students, parents and teachers in Newark waiting for in-person instruction will have to wait a bit longer -- until late January, at the earliest.
- Newark Schools initially said students will undergo remote learning until at least the end of the first marking period -- which would have been around early November. That will no longer be the case.
- The decision was driven by the data: the number of positive COVID-19 cases in Newark are rising again, averaging 63 a day over the past few days.
Students, parents and teachers in Newark waiting for in-person instruction will have to wait a bit longer -- until late January, at the earliest.
Newark Schools initially said students will undergo remote learning until at least the end of the first marking period -- which would have been around early November. That will no longer be the case.
Christopher Davis is father to an 8th grader. With all of the city’s public schools closed for at least two and a half more months, he told News 4 New York he feels for students who are struggling with learning during these unprecedented times.
"How're you gonna learn? How're you gonna graduate? How're you gonna advance in class?" Davis asked.
However, the decision was driven by the data: the number of positive COVID-19 cases in Newark are rising again, averaging 63 a day over the past few days.
While school districts like neighboring South Orange-Maplewood will transition to some in-person learning next month, the issue of education equity is real, Newark Superintendent Roger Leon admitted, calling it a "learning loss" factor.
News
But, Leon says the virtual experience at Newark’s schools is far different than what was cobbled together last spring.
As testing continues in the state’s largest city, Mayor Ras Baraka pleaded on Facebook Monday night for residents to be patient.
Gov. Phil Murphy also urged patience Tuesday.
"We want to get kids safely back to in person education as soon as we can," he said.
