New Jersey Schools to stay closed for the remainder of the Academic year

New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy announced Monday May 4th, that the state’s schools will stay closed for the remainder of the academic year to continue to curb further spread of the coronavirus.

The announcements effectively extend an exist- ing instruction by the governor to keep schools closed indefinitely — one he’d previously said would be revisited by May 15.

Scholastic sports are called off for the rest of the year as well. The governor said a decision on potential summer programs has not yet been made.

Murphy said schools could not be safely reopened with adequate social distancing meas- ures, before the school year is out.

All New Jersey school facilities have been closed since March, with public schools instead shifting to at-home instruction through a combination of les- sons sent to families and online coursework.

The New Jersey Education Association, the state’s largest teachers union supported the deci- sion.