Montclair Parents Protest At Edgemont: ‘Open Our Schools’ – Patch.com

MONTCLAIR, NJ — On Monday morning, the 318th day since their children last sat in a brick-and-mortar classroom, more than 100 parents of Montclair students rallied outside Edgemont Montessori School.

Their demand? Reopen for the hybrid plan, now.

Lining the front lawn of the school with backpacks – a metaphor for the children who aren’t allowed in the building due to concerns over the coronavirus – protesters held signs that read: “Open Our Schools,” “Kids Are Suffering” and “Get Our Kids Back In School.”

Spearheaded by a group of local parents and community members, Montclair Families Advocating for In-Person Learning (FAIL), the rally was the latest call to action from the group, which has been ardently trying to change the minds of district administrators for months.

Meanwhile, the Montclair’s teacher union is insisting that schools should stay all-remote for now. READ MORE: Here’s Why Reopening Schools Is Unsafe, Montclair Teachers Union Says

Montclair was one of several school districts in Essex County that started the school year with all-online classes due to the coronavirus pandemic. Since then, officials have repeatedly hit the brakes on their plans to reopen for a hybrid model, which would include a mix of in-person and remote learning.

Parents would be able to keep their kids home and stick with an all-remote option. Learn more about the Montclair Public School District’s reopening plan here.

The district was set to reopen for its hybrid plan earlier this month, with teachers due back for training on Jan. 19, preK-5 students due back on Jan. 25, and students in grades 6-12 on Feb. 8.

But after continued protests from the union representing teachers and support staff, the Montclair Education Association (MEA), Superintendent Jonathan Ponds announced Friday that the reopen plan has been put on ice yet again.

“It is with deep regret that I inform you that I am unable to properly staff our schools for in-person, hybrid teaching and learning on January 25,” Ponds said. “As a result, I cannot open our buildings to students as planned.”

On Monday – the same day many of their children would have returned to classrooms – parents with Montclair FAIL showed up at Edgemont school for their rally.

“This is OUR business as usual,” the group wrote on social media, sharing photos of the protest.

It wasn’t the first time that Montclair parents have taken to the streets in their push to reopen schools.

In December, members of Montclair FAIL rallied in Edgemont Park and other locations. Some said they were having trouble juggling work schedules with helping their kids navigate online classes and stay on task. Other parents, including the mother of a child with special needs, said that distance learning was making their kids fall behind.

Last week, Cathy Patullo, who has a child in the local school system, told Patch that one of the biggest problems during the COVID-19 pandemic has been “anxiety.”

“We live in a condo and don’t have any outdoor space,” Patullo said, adding that her daughter has seen her opportunities for exercise and activity plummet.

It’s tough enough being an only child during a pandemic. But not being able to meet with her friends or teachers just makes the situation worse, Patullo said.

“She hits a wall where she gets overwhelmed, doesn’t want to do her homework or classwork,” Patullo said.

During a recent meeting of the Montclair Board Of Education, dozens of parents blasted the delayed return to classrooms and said it’s infringing on their children’s constitutional right to an equitable education.

“[We are] very disappointed by the recent actions of the MEA and their campaign to keep our schools shuttered, the group said in a joint statement. “400 districts throughout NJ are open, either hybrid or full time right now.”

“The American Academy of Pediatrics released a statement on January 5 stating ‘Children absolutely need to return to in-school learning for their healthy development and well-being’ and that ‘the guidance presents new research findings that schools have not been a significant driver of SARS-CoV-2 transmission in their communities when they take safety precautions,” Montclair FAIL stated.

“The MEA’s attempt to delay in-person learning is infringing on [our children’s] constitutional right to an equitable education,” the group added. “[We] should have a choice to send [our children] to school when our state government is saying it’s safe.”

Read More: School Reopening Battle In Montclair: Parents, Teachers Dig In

A pair of online petitions calling for in-person classes have each garnered hundreds of signatures. Read them at the links below:

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