Reopen Schools Petition Opens As Gloucester Twp. Remains Remote

GLOUCESTER TOWNSHIP, NJ — A recently launched petition is calling on the Gloucester Township K-8 Public School District to reopen schools, even as the district announced schools will remain remote for another two weeks amid the coronavirus pandemic.

The school district will remain engaged in full-remote learning through Feb. 15, the district announced in a letter to the community.

The district’s schools had been scheduled to reopen for in-person learning on Jan. 29, but the Department of Health has issued three COVID-19 Activity Reports since that announcement, Superintendent of Schools John Bilodeau said.

Each report has shown that Camden County remains at high-risk, and Bilodeau said the district is following state and county guidelines by remaining in a remote-learning environment. Read more here: Camden County’s COVID Cases Still In Red Zone: See Town Updates

But Christina Ruff wonders how indoor dining, gyms, salons and other non-essential businesses are allowed to reopen while the education system remains closed.

“Our children have already lost so much because of the pandemic,” Ruff wrote in her online petition urging Gloucester Township schools to reopen. “As parents, how can we allow the education system to fail our children while non-essential businesses are operating?”

As of Monday afternoon, 146 people had signed the“Reopen Gloucester Township Schools” petition. Her goal was to acquire 200 signatures.

“Remote learning is not an adequate substitute for in-person instruction,” Ruff wrote. “We are watching our children fall academically behind while teachers are being told not to fail students. If our children don’t have the essentials down this year, how can we expect them to succeed next year?”

“Our district’s Return to School Plan has consistently followed the guidelines issued by the NJDOH,” Bilodeau said in his letter. “I have emphasized that school operations will follow the science of this pandemic. The health and safety of our students and staff remain paramount factors in decisions regarding the instructional schedule.”

“Regrettably, I must continue to delay returning to in-person instruction due to concerns regarding everyone’s health. I want to emphasize to all parents, staff, caregivers that the most effective educational delivery is when our students are receiving in-person instruction in our schools.”

Ruff said the evidence shows schools have had little to no role in the continued spread of the virus. According to the state’s coronavirus dashboard, there have been 121 outbreaks in schools, 13 of which were in Camden County. Of the 597 cases reported in schools statewide, 66 were in Camden County.

“Keeping schools closed while business is resuming is unacceptable," Ruff said. "We need to call on the Superintendent or our local Congressman to prioritize the education of our children by reopening our schools.”