Long before the temporary cease-fire ended in Gaza, the mood in Paterson, N.J., home to one of the largest communities of Palestinians outside the Middle East, was tense.
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PATERSON The city school district took small steps toward resuming in-person instruction this week in deciding that some children in special education and English Language Learning programs would return to class on June 8.
That reopening would begin with just 12 days remaining in the academic year.
Meanwhile, the Board of Education and Superintendent Eileen Shafer did not say when the vast majority of the 29,000 children in the district would restart in-person instruction.
With some of the lowest student test scores in New Jersey, Paterson Public Schools has fallen behind other districts in its pandemic reopening. Gov. Phil Murphy, who has been pushing local education officials throughout New Jersey to reopen schools, noted this week that Paterson is one of five districts in the state still doing all remote learning.