One of the toughest parts of being a leader is coming to the realization that something is over and learning how to develop new plans. It’s time for the state of New Jersey to realize that the school year we are currently in is finished. Undoubtedly, the impact of the coronavirus has left us in an unprecedented situation. Businesses were forced to close, Schools were forced to close, residents were forced into their homes.

Given all that has taken place within the last several weeks I personally feel as a parent that in no uncertain terms will we be ready as a district to bring our children back to school with expressed social distancing guidelines by May 15. Furthermore, a vast majority of parents, educational advocates and organizations feel that is too soon and quite frankly, unsafe to allow students to return to school at this time.

I’m calling on the governor to take a stand and defend our state’s most vulnerable, our children. I do realize that the position I’m taking here is not popular. I do realize that as an elected school official this can be considered a risky move to take. Nevertheless, I am a parent before anything else and above any title or position that could ever be gained.

So, as a parent, I am writing this letter in hopes that the community will join me and many of the educational activists, throughout the state New Jersey, in calling for the governor to keep our schools closed for the remainder of the 2020 school year. Let’s face it it’s going to be a challenge either way, we might as well lean on the side of caution.