Should New Jersey Schools Reopen This Fall? Take Our Survey

NEW JERSEY — Should they stay (home) or should they go? It's the question on most parents' minds as the start of school approaches for New Jersey students.

Patch has developed a survey to get your answers to these questions, and whether you feel it's safe for children, teachers and staff to do in-person learning in the fall (see survey below).

Students have not been in the classroom since mid-March, when the onset of the coronavirus pandemic forced schools to shutter their buildings and shift to online learning.

Gov. Phil Murphy has announced that New Jersey schools can resume in-person instruction in September, provided their district creates a safety plan approved by their school board. But he also said he'll pull the plug on reopening if cases go up again. Read more: Gov. Murphy Issues NJ School Reopening Rules Amid Coronavirus

As districts create their safety plans, they are considering a multitude of obstacles to overcome, including how to provide for adequate social distancing, how long and often students should wear masks, how to safely transport students, what to do in the event a student or teacher gets infected, and so on.

The approach educators will take to restart learning will vary from district to district. Many are considering hybrid models, where students spend some time in the classroom and other days learn virtually.

New Jersey teachers, meanwhile, have developed what may be considered a strict set of possible ground rules for getting kids back to school in the fall. Read more: NJ Teachers Develop Possible Coronavirus Back-To-School Rules

The debate over when and how to send children back to the classroom is raging throughout the country, as cases in many states are on the upswing. More than 175,000 cases and 13,000 deaths have been confirmed in New Jersey. Read more: NJ Coronavirus, Reopen Updates: Here's What You Need To Know

How are you feeling about New Jersey schools reopening in the fall? Take the survey below to share your thoughts.

The survey will be open through 8 a.m. Monday. We will publish the results soon after.

Note: This survey is not a scientific poll, with random sampling and margins of error, but can be considered a broad indicator of public sentiment.

Would you like to share your thoughts directly with a Patch reporter? Contact tom.davis@Patch.com