New Jersey governor allows schools to reopen for in-person learning

New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy (D) announced Wednesday he will sign an executive order allowing private and public K-12 schools and universities to reopen for in-person learning in September.

The big picture: New York and New Jersey have now authorized school districts to begin reopening. Both states and Connecticut ordered travelers from 31 states to quarantine before crossing their state borders after they were able to manage the pandemic.

Where it stands: Current hospitalizations, new cases and fatalities have continued to decline in both New York and New Jersey, per the COVID Tracking Project.

• Murphy said school districts must certify to the New Jersey Department of Education that they are able to meet certain health and safety standards, and that those that cannot safely reopen must create plans to start the school year with all-remote learning.
• There have been over 185,000 confirmed coronavirus cases since the start of the pandemic and almost 15,900 deaths in New Jersey, per Johns Hopkins.

Between the lines: As noted by New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo last week, the decision to allow children to return to school is ultimately a personal choice for parents, regardless of the state's position.