New Jersey Gov: Schools can reopen with all-remote learning

New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy announced Wednesday that public schools in New Jersey will have the option of starting the school year with no in-person classes if they meet certain criteria.

He stressed the goal is for as many of New Jersey's nearly 600 districts to physically reopen as possible, and schools will not simply be able to choose to go all-remote.

As the national debate continues to rage over whether schools should reopen this fall despite the coronavirus pandemic, the governor told reporters "this is not a change, of course. This is a continuation of the process that we setup from the very start."

He added:  "The Department of Education has put forward strong guidelines that put a premium on health and safety of students and staff while allowing in-person instruction to resume."

Gov. Murphy said the state will have more detailed guidelines for schools by Thursday.