COVID cases shut Morristown High until Nov. 22

COVID-19. Image by the CDC.
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The Morris School District’s first COVID-19 shutdown of the semester will close in-person classes, and sports and other extracurricular activities,  at Morristown High until Nov. 22, 2021.

At least 10 cases have been reported in the school community, prompting closure at the direction of local health officials, Principal Mark Manning said in a message to parents on Thursday afternoon.

Students will be expected to log into virtual classes, Manning said.

The shutdown sounds like bad news for the MHS theatrical production of “Harvey,” which was scheduled for Nov. 19-21.

All sports and after-school events are suspended, according to the principal’s message.

28 COMMENTS

  1. @Connor your argument is not based on data.

    Vaccinated people are less likely to have Covid and as such the majority of ‘spreaders’ are unvaccinated people based on the research.

    It is not the child that is a risk, but the people they come in to contact with. More child cases = more potential for uncontrolled spreader events to other more at-risk groups. Fact, not overreaction, or feeling, or misinformation.

    As I posted on another thread, please stop disassociating child infection rates from likely impact on others – they are linked and that is what presents the real risk here…

  2. lol – “whythis” what’s your point. It is literally a proven and well documented fact that only fraction of a fraction of a % chance a child under 18 will die from this. I think its less than 20 children under 18 have died from this globally since it began. Everyone now has the choice to get vaccinated. Vaccinated still spread the virus like anyone else so getting vaccinated does nothing to help others.

    Talk about misinformation…

  3. I remain just stunned at how the comment section is allowed to be just worse than nj dot com’s comments used to be. Want to spread disinfo and blatantly false nonsense? Feel free…

    Also, to mr. “stuck in NJ”, you know that there are lots of other states, many with much lower COL?

  4. Marge Brady,
    Thank you so much for using your real name!
    I have a current high schooler who is very upset at this closure (coming on the last day of the marking period and disrupting the play). I have a college student who endured two years of school that was interrupted. I have a young son who has never had a “full year of school” (he is in 5th grade) except first grade due to a brain tumor. He’s healthy and thriving currently and also at grade level.

    None of us want this situation. But it’s silly to blame the schools.

    The facts are this: no matter how insignificant people feel this virus is, schools yield to state and local health departments on guidance for outbreaks and how to react. If a school acted on its own, there would certainly be legal ramifications. TWO STAFF MEMBERS HAVE DIED OF COVID ALREADY. Of course, as anyone can see on a calendar, we just had Halloween and three days off of school (during which many families traveled) so perhaps that accounts for an uptick in cases. Though masks are required (per the state executive order) in schools, they were probably not mandated at Halloween parties and week long get aways.

    Educators are not health officials and should not be treated as such. Reach out to local health officials and get an understanding of how these decisions are actually made.

    Here is the guidance : https://www.nj.gov/education/roadforward/docs/HealthAndSafetyGuidanceSY2122.pdf per the NJ DOH and DOE.

    Believe me, nobody wants this to be happening and no educator is sitting in a vacuum making health decisions that affect their beloved communities.

    As an educator (don’t worry, not in MSD!) for the past 25 years, I’m so sad at how we are viewed by some regarding actions outside of our control during a global pandemic.

  5. To be so out of touch so as to compare polio to COVID. One disease with a 2-5% death rate in children and 30% in adults to a disease with a fraction of percent death rate in young people. To compare a vaccine that wasn’t mandated until years of data was available to a vaccine with less than a year is also absurd. However, the arguments here are whether or not the school should close for 10 days due to a small percentage of the population having covid. Most teachers are vaccinated, many of the high schoolers are vaccinated. Those who have COVID should stay home. Absolute insanity to close the school and ALL activities for 10 days. RIDICULOUS. No one’s “life is at risk” except maybe the kids who are going on year 3 of sporadic education.

  6. It continues to amaze me that parents are willing to put their children’s lives at risk to make what has become a political point. Remembering when the polio epidemic caused concern and support of efforts to get everyone vaccinated. Don’t even remember what party initiated the action. it did not matter and all our children in Public Schools were protected.

  7. completely absurd. What is the goal here – not a single covid case ever again or we shut down entire schools/businesses? The pandemic ended when everyone had access to the vaccine at their discretion. This is about nothing but power now and the inability of the same folk making these “laws” to admit their draconian precautions are and were useless.

  8. Of over 2000 kids, plus several hundred facility members they shut down due to 10 cases? Of course zero information about if these cases are actually symptomatic and I’d love to know how many of the 10 positive cases are vaccinated. I’m sure if they were UNvaccinated that would have been the headline.

  9. LOL yes little sips of water depending on who the teacher was and how hysterical they were over COVID. Same with the windows. Half of my kid’s teachers insisted on open windows. There was ZERO learning last year in the classroom OR on ZOOM. ZERO. My kid had an AP teacher who didn’t even do all the Zooms live. Told the 2nd section to just listen to the recording. And by the way, the colleges are not extra lenient on expectations for kids coming in with a year and a half of zero learning but keep singing the praises of the school…

  10. @concernedparent will you ear muff your children next week in school if the CDC comes out and says you you should and Governor Murphy now says ear muffing is required?

    And don’t say that’s ridiculous and it’ll never happen…because look around us.

  11. All I’m saying with the Tucker comment is that, if you’re looking for fear, that’s where you’ll find it. As a Centrist myself, I do not pay attention to the noise on other side and as a result don’t worry much.

    The grip on reality is yours to get though. You are clearly not informed of what is happening in the building and yet claim to know what’s best, and at one point tonight you actually advocated for not getting tested if you’re sick and and showing up to school anyway if you don’t have a fever. This whole thing could be much closer to over without people thinking that way

  12. @concernedparent you’re talking to me like I’m a right wing lunatic. I’ve been a moderate Democrat my entire life. Bringing Fox News into this conversation shows your true colors and your lack of critical thinking skills.

    You can mask and vaccinate your kids everyday; I truly do not care.

    The sticking point with me is I refuse to co-parent with the government whether they are Democrat or Republican.

    Let your kids be the guinea pigs for this 19 month old vaccine and don’t dictate that my kids should line up for it.

    Tomorrow the CDC could say that the virus nowbenters through your children’s ears. Are you going to require that children should now wear ear muffs? Grow up and get a grip of reality.

  13. @stuckinnj their lives have been interrupted as have mine, as have yours. In good measure because of using unhelpful behaviors (not masking, not vaccinating) as a deranged badge of honor. On the topic of fear, I have little and my kids seem to have none. Hell, Murphy said i think today or yesterday if kids get vaccinated the mask mandate in schools is gone. I see plenty of fear mongering every day b/w 8-9pm on the Fox News channel, though.

  14. Just asked my kid who was in on the hybrid system. They were allowed to have water, the heat was on, the windows were closed. Again, wearing a mask is the law. Local health officials, whether from the town or county, have the job of enforcing the law. It is literally their job.

    Last time I checked a mask doesn’t cut off brain function, so I don’t see the implication you’re making about masks and “real learning”.

  15. @concernedparent if you enjoy having your children’s lives constantly interrupted and having them grow up in a state of fear and disarray in school everyday god bless you do you. Just don’t include my children with your delusion and belief that this is a normal way to live.

  16. Yes open for “in person” wearing a mask with hardly anyone there and the windows open because the teacher had to teach to the screen and it was freezing, uncomfortable, and useless. No socializing, eating, or drinking allowed. Why bother going in? Just because it was an option and allowed doesn’t mean it was actually valuable. Just wait until your kids graduate and you realize how watered down the curriculum became over the last 7 years thanks to the guy who just retired and the non-existent COVID learning. “Direction of public health officials” does not mean law…

  17. No pushback? What do you honestly expect people to do, break the law? That is what you’re asking for anyway. As a parent of a student in the school, I can say with 100% certainty that we were open more than about anyone else in the area last year – we closed for about 2 weeks in the fall and a week more in the winter. The option for in class school was there all year, no one took it. Your rage seems misplaced

  18. “direction of local health officials”. Wonder who that is? The state planted contact tracer who last year made everyone quarantine above and beyond what even the CDC recommended. Never any pushback by the administration on these “local health officials”. I agree stuck…stop testing, stay home if sick, school stays open. Aren’t teachers supposed to be vaccinated? No one at risk here. Absolute insanity. It will never ever end.

  19. @stuckinnj I’ll call BS on your “parents with masks in cars with their kids”. Never once seen that. I’ll wait for your proof.

    If 10+ kids popped up with COVID today it seems very likely that it was the result of the very same thinking you outlined in points 1,2, and 3. It’s not rocket science, right?!

  20. Hold on! I thought most kids at this age were vaccinated and everyone is wearing masks so how could this be??!!! Out of 2000 kids and what 150-200 staff, 10 cases causes a shutdown?? Wake up people!! The masks, the shot, the distancing doesn’t matter!!! This is all about control!! This is a virus and it will be here forever like the stink bug, the spotted lantern fly and all other wonderful gifts from Asia! Learn to live with it. Get back to educating the kids.

  21. I take back what I said. I blame the liberal parents parents that continue to wear masks in their car with their own children.

    These are the same parents that get their kids tested and report it directly to the school.

    If your kids gets sick do the following…

    1. Don’t get them tested
    2. No fever…send them to school
    3. Don’t tell a loving soul your kid was sick

    And just like that no more school closures. Everyone lives happily every after and our children’s future and education will no longer be interrupted.

    Rocket science right?!?!

  22. Teaching virtually is anything but a vacation. What an ignorant and disgusting comment to make. Those theatre kids are probably devastated and you’re making light of it? Gross.

  23. @stuckinnj and @bringbackeducation. You do realize that the article says that the town forced the school to shut down?

  24. I see COVID hysteria is back in full force. Something like 10 cases in a school of over 1600 so shut it all down for 10 days. What happened to – if you are a close contact but wore a mask (which is actually everyone since they are mandated in school) you don’t have to quarantine. Unacceptable and pathetic. So glad my kids are OUT of this pathetic school district.

  25. Wait wait wait…I thought the masks worked? I blame this outbreak on the cast of “Harvey.” I bet those trouble making theatre kids were singing without their masks on.

    In all seriousness I’m sure this is happening because the teachers just wanted to extend their vacation from earlier this month. Last week they were all at Disney World maskless with their own children.

    It’s a shame the NJEA continues to run this state and that you are all continued to go along with this charade.

  26. This makes no sense! All fall we were told that the high school was doing great quarantine-wise. In many cases those who had true close contact did not even have to stay home. Now we are going to stop school for HUNDREDS of students (who will just be walking around town and socializing all day) because of a few cases of most likely vaccinated people? And instead of taking a day or two to regroup it’s going to go up to the holiday? As per mandate 462849 isn’t virtual learning prohibited? As always the message is vague and the punishment is severe. DO BETTER FOR OUR KIDS!

  27. This must stop. What an overreaction. Embarrassment to all. MSD continues to ruin childhoods and educations. Parents should flood the school with complaints.

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