NJ Moms Launch Petition, Want Virtual Choice For School

BRIDGEWATER, NJ — The coronavirus pandemic forced students home with virtual learning butnot everyone is ready to return to school. Bridgewater mother Karen Strauss and a group of New Jersey moms joined forces and launched a petition urging Gov. Phil Murphy to continue to allow for a virtual option in school.

"We want everyone to have a choice. If they want to go back to school or if they don't want to go back to school they should be able to choose what is best for them," said Strauss, who is one of four local moms who formed the New Jersey Parents for Virtual Choice.

Strauss said there are a variety of reasons parents have joined their effort.

"They all have different stories from vaccinations, to health risks, or an emotional loss of someone from COVID," said Strauss of parents wanting to stay virtual.

For Strauss, she had a couple of reasons to be pro-virtual.

"I started to want virtual when my father-in-law, who had Alzheimer's, was unable to be vaccinated. He was bedbound but has since passed away. We were so worried to bring COVID to him and our youngest son who has asthma," said Strauss.

Strauss added that going virtual also helped her youngest who began flourishing at home.

"My youngest has autism and is only 4 and in the Bridgewater preschool program. Now he is reading and doing arithmetic," said Strauss.

Strauss launched the petition on Tuesday and it now has close to 200 signatures.

"This started as a Bridgewater option and fighting for our kids just in Bridgewater but this is affecting parents from all over New Jersey. We just want this to become an option," said Strauss.

Other parents shared their reason for being in favor of a virtual option on the group's website.

"My preemie spent 16 days in NICU and I am not going back there with him because his siblings were forced to attend school in person and ended up bringing home COVID-19," said Brad H. of Scotch Plains.

"My child is very afraid of getting Covid because she saw what it did to my husband and I. We were supposed to go to Disney in June, her favorite place on earth, and she begged me to cancel the trip. She told me that I'm vaccinated but she isn't and is very afraid of getting sick. If she doesn't want to go to Disney because she doesn't feel safe and it's outdoors, why should I force her to go into a closed classroom? Virtual is important to us because it keeps her safe," said Susana M. of Woodbridge on the site.

Strauss is hoping to get as many people as possible to sign the petition before presenting it to Murphy.

"Just because people are over the pandemic doesn't mean the pandemic is over. This goes beyond the pandemic, this is not a one-size-fits-all situation, said Strauss. "Not just in school but in the workforce. We know a totally different way of life right now. Life will never be the same as before, but a lot of positive has come out of it."

To sign the petition click here. To learn more about New Jersey Parents for Virtual Choice visit njparentsforvirtual.wixsite.com or facebook.com/NJPFVC.

Have a news tip? Email alexis.tarrazi@patch.com.

Get Patch breaking news alerts sent right to your phone with our new app. Download here. Don't miss local and statewide announcements. Sign up for Patch alerts and daily newsletters.