TOMS RIVER – As elementary students returned to in-person instruction, they found plastic dividers on their desks designed to slow the spread of COVID-19. However, through the internet and people talking, parents learned that some schools got fully clear barriers while some had barriers that were solid white on the sides.
The ones that were white on the sides cut off the peripheral vision of students and are great for keeping kids from cheating, but are basically like “horse blinders,” said Rob Wunderlich of Pine Beach. His daughter’s school, Pine Beach Elementary, which is part of the Toms River Regional School District, received the white barriers that have a clear front.
“They can’t even see the board,” he said.
“What they’re telling us is that if a room has enough space for social distancing, there won’t be any dividers,” he said. However, when 80% of families selected to return to in-person education, there’s no way that they could have enough room for social distancing.
Kindergarten through 5th grade students returned March 1 and grades 6-12 will return March 15. In-school classes will be Monday through Thursday. Friday will be virtual for all students. Some children are still 100% virtual.
Parents on social media pointed out the discrepancy between the dividers, and commented that some schools got better treatment. Others complained that the dividers won’t do their job unless the student is hunched over their desk.
Kids who have been struggling emotionally and mentally due to being isolated will return to this, and still feel isolated, said Wunderlich, who said he works in the mental health field.
“It seems like the district scrambled and bought what they could find and afford,” he said.
The clear barriers were ordered before the district surveyed the parents about whether their kids were returning to classrooms. Once that questionnaire came in with 80% of students being in-person (with some classrooms being 100%), the dividers needed to be ordered, according to a message from interim Superintendent Thomas Gialanella.
“While many districts are not providing such barriers, we felt that this additional layer of protection was warranted to assist in areas where we cannot maintain social distancing,” Gialanella said.
District officials were unhappy that there was a limited selection of dividers available for the district to buy. The decision came down to such things as student heights, cleaning, and versatility.
Initially, 1,000 barriers were bought, the district reported. After the parents made their decisions, and 80% were coming back, an additional 13,000 were bought.
The fully clear barrier will be used in three schools with high levels of in-person learning. They noted that this device is not perfect; there are glare and durability issues. That’s why they made a larger purchase of the white-sided barriers.
Both barriers are currently being used in other school districts, Gialanella said.
The district urged parents not to buy dividers for their children, as they need to be approved for classroom use.
