N.J. school district will close before solar eclipse due to 'concern' about kids looking at the sun

[Wicked Blue]

By Tina Kelley | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com

Livingston schools will close early on April 8 to avoid any danger to students and families from the solar eclipse, according to a letter Superintendent Matthew J. Block sent home to families Wednesday.

The Essex County school district’s four schools will dismiss at noon or 12:45 p.m., hours before the eclipse, so students are not tempted to look directly at the sun without protective eyewear during their usual dismissal time, the superintendent said.

“Since the eclipse will occur during our regularly scheduled school dismissal times, many of our students would be outside and unsupervised during the eclipse,” Block wrote. “Unless children are properly supervised, they could be drawn to look at the eclipse, and would likely do so that day at dismissal. Without the proper equipment, this can cause damage to their eyes.”

The decision to close schools early got mixed reviews among some parents on social media.

https://www.nj.com/education/2024/03/nj-school-district-will-close-during-solar-eclipse-due-to-concern-about-kids-looking-at-the-sun.html

Snow days, now eclipse days?

[sarisataka]

1. So they will only look at the eclipse

only if they are at school or on the way home?

[ProfessorGAC]

3. Same Thought Here

The schools know that the sun will be out in the kids' neighborhoods, right?
And, it is a cloudy day, won't they be shortening the day for nothing?
This is a really silly decision.

[Wonder Why]

2. Some kid's going to call in an eclipse threat to get out of a test!