Protest Planned At Ridge High School On Friday

BASKING RIDGE, NJ—Parents angry over the last-minute changes to the Bernards School District's return to school plan have organized a protest at Ridge High School on Friday.

"We were blindsided at the board of ed meeting," said Kelly Young, one of the organizers of the event. "They had six months and couldn't get a safe plan in place?"

Superintendent Nick Markarian announced on Monday night that Bernards Township schools will not hold in-person instruction until at least Oct. 1.

New Jersey superintendents spent most of the summer operating under the directive that some in-person school was required. But an executive order issued by Gov. Phil Murphy on Aug. 12 reversed course, leaving teachers, school administrators, and parents upset and scrambling to adjust.

Under Bernards Township's updated plan, the first day of online instruction will be Thursday, Sept. 3 for all district students. Markarian said the one month switch to online learning was necessary due to the schools not being in compliance with the state's guidelines for opening in person.

"We want to get back to school as as soon as we possibly can," said Markarian at Monday's meeting. "We need to take some extra time to take care of the staffing, facilities, and PPE in the most responsible way possible."

But some Bernards district parents, like Young, are placing the blame squarely on the superintendent for the rollback of in-person instruction.

"I would expect more from him," Young said, "It's disgusting and disappointing, and Markarian is 100 percent at fault."

The protest is scheduled for 3 p.m. on Friday at Ridge High School.