Maplewood Schools Are Now Remote 'Indefinitely': District

MAPLEWOOD, NJ — Parents who moved to Maplewood for the schools got another frustrating message this week: schools will remain on remote education "indefinitely" following a breakdown in talks between the administration and the teachers' union.

The teachers' union sent a letter to the district Monday saying they are concerned about conditions in the schools.

The district responded later on Monday, "We are in receipt of SOMEA’s email indicating that they are once again refusing to report to the school buildings. As per the Community Reopening Update of only a few hours ago, the district was making progress in its Phase 3 reopening with no evidence of in-school transmission. We felt that the Sidebar Agreement with SOMEA was working as intended..."

The 2020-2021 school year in Maplewood so far has been a tragedy of errors. On-site was to begin in the district in November, but problems with the ventilation system put those plans on hold until January. Then, the superintendent said some grades could return, as well as special education students, but others would have to wait. Hybrid education opened for a little over a week before the teachers cited unhealthy conditions are refused to report.

A snowy nor'easter also caused schools to go remote for several days in February.

Watch Maplewood Patch for more updates this week.

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