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♪ >>> WELCOME TO "CHAT BOX."

I'M DAVID CRUZ.

HAPPY NEW YEAR.

YOU KNOW, EVEN THOUGH FINDING GOOD CHEER IS HARDER THAN EVER IN THE CURRENT WORLD CLIMATE, THE PANDEMIC, IT'S PRESENT IN EVERY ASPECT OF OUR LIVES AND AS WE BEGIN A NEW YEAR, A SENSE OF URGENCY IN GOVERNMENT, HEALTHCARE, EDUCATION, AND THE ECONOMY.

WE HAVEN'T SEEN THE PRESIDENT AND CEO OF UNIVERSITY HOSPITAL IN NEWARK AND HAS BEEN ON THE FRONT LINES OF THE COVID FIGHT SINCE DAY ONE.

DOC, HAPPY NEW YEAR, GOOD TO SEE YOU, MAN.

>> HAPPY NEW YEAR TO YOU, DAVID.

>> SO, THERE WAS A MINUTE IN 2021 WHEN THE CDC SAID, YOU KNOW, IF YOU'RE VACCINATED, YOU CAN TAKE THE MASK OFF, AND WE FELT LIKE MAYBE THIS IS THE BEGINNING OF THE END.

I DON'T KNOW IF YOU REMEMBER IT THAT WAY, BUT IS IT SAFE TO SAY THAT THOSE DAYS ARE GONE FOR NOW?

>> THER GONE FOR NOW, UNFORTUNATELY, AND OF COURSE I DO REMEMBER THE GOLDEN TIMES OF JUNE/JULY OF 2021 WHEN WE HAD A LOT OF PEOPLE NEWLY VACCINATED, WHEN THEIR IMMUNITY WAS FRESH AND EFFECTIVE AGAINST THE VARIANT AT THE TIME, WHICH WAS ALPHA.

A LOT OF PEOPLE DON'T EVEN REMEMBER SINCE IT SEEMS LIKE SO LONG AGO.

BUT NOWHERE NEAR AS SEVERE OR TRANSMISSIBLE AS THE DELTA VARIANT AND THEN THE DELTA VARIANT TOOK US BY SURPRISE.

IT WAS A CURVEBALL THAT CAME BACK AND REALLY AFFECTED THE COUNTRY, DIDN'T AFFECT NEW JERSEY NEARLY AS MUCH BECAUSE TURNED OUT OUR VACCINES WERE NEARLY AS EFFECTIVE AGAINST DELTA AS THEY WERE AGAINST PREVIOUS VARIANTS.

BUT NOW, OF COURSE, WE'RE IN THE OMICRON PHASE, AND OMICRON, UNFORTUNATELY, IS ABLE TO EASILY EVADE IMMUNITY FROM FULL VACCINATION, CAN EVADE BOOSTED IMMUNITY MUCH LESS, BUT IN ALL CIRCUMSTANCES, STILL DOES PREVENT AGAINST SEVERE DISEASE, HOSPITALIZATION, AND DEATH, WHICH IS EXACTLY WHAT WE'RE SEEING IN OUR HOSPITALIZATIONS RIGHT NOW, STILL OVERWHELMINGLY UNVACCINATED PEOPLE AND FOR FOLKS WHO ARE VACCINATED, THEY ARE OVERWHELMINGLY NOT BOOSTED.

SO, IMPORTANT TO REMIND FOLKS THAT BOOSTING DOES PROTECT YOU AGAINST SEVERE DISEASE, EVEN NOW.

>> CAN YOU PUT INTO PERSPECTIVE FOR PEOPLE WATCHING RIGHT NOW, LIKE, COMPARE TODAY TO LAST YEAR AT YOUR FACILITY AND AROUND THE STATE.

>> AS OF THIS MORNING, I OPENED UP MY UPDATE AND IT WAS 120 PATIENTS WITH COVID-19 IN OUR HOSPITAL.

SILVER LINING IS THAT IT DOES STILL SEEM TO BE A LESS SEVERE VARIANT THAN PREVIOUS ONES, A MUCH LOWER PERCENTAGE OF THE PARENTS WE HAVE REQUIRE ICU CARE AND VENTILATOR CARE, WHICH IS GOOD NEWS.

AND ABOUT 60% OF THEM ARE ACTUALLY DIAGNOSED RIGHT HERE AT THE HOSPITAL BECAUSE THEY'RE COMING HERE FOR OTHER REASONS THAT ARE INCIDENTALLY POSITIVE JUST BECAUSE OF HOW TRANSMISSIBLE OMICRON IS.

AND SO, OBVIOUSLY IT'S STILL A CHALLENGE TO ISOLATE THEM AND WEAR THE PPE FOR OUR HEALTHCARE WORKERS BUT THEY'RE NOT HERE FOR THE CLASSIC COVID ILLNESS, WHICH IS VERY MUCH A SERIOUS RESPIRATORY CONDITION, A CONDITION OF YOUR LUNGS SHORTNESS OF BREATH AND OXYGENIZATION.

THE PREDICTIONS ARE DIRE, AND WE'RE PLANNING FOR THE WORST FOR THAT REASON, CREATING SPACE, MAKING SURE WE'RE SHORING UP OUR STAFFING AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE.

OUR STAFFING IS WOEFULLY SHORT FOR A LOT OF REASONS INCLUDING FOLKS OUT DUE TO COVID AND SO WE'RE PREPARING AS BEST AS WE CAN.

>> SO, MORE PEOPLE ARE GETTING SICK BECAUSE OF OMICRON BUT THEY'RE NOT GETTING AS SICK?

>> THAT'S A GOOD WAY OF SUMMARIZING IT.

>> I SHOULD SAY, TESTING POSITIVE.

>> RIGHT.

OMICRON IS EXTREMELY TRANSMISSIBLE, MORE TRANSMISSIBLE THAN THE CHICKENPOX.

PEOPLE ARE GETTING OMICRON WITH EVEN VERY SHORT INTERACTIONS WITH FOLKS WHO ARE POSITIVE.

AND IT SPREADS LIKE WILDFIRE IN HOUSEHOLDS.

SO, A HUGE PERCENTAGE OF THE POPULATION IS NOW GETTING INFECTED.

THAT SAID, AS A PERCENTAGE OF CASES, A LOT FEWER REQUIRE HOSPITALIZATION.

AND EVEN FEWER REQUIRE ICU CARE AND VENTILATOR CARE.

SO, ALL OF THAT IS GOOD NEWS AND BECAUSE A LOT OF FOLKS ARE GETTING IT WITH NO SYMPTOMS AT ALL, THE HOSPITALIZATIONS THAT ARE MARKED AS COVID, A LARGE CHUNK OF THEM IN OUR HOSPITAL ARE DIAGNOSED JUST BECAUSE WE TEST EVERYBODY WHO NEEDS A BED IN OUR HOSPITAL AND THAT'S THE DYNAMIC WE'RE SEEING NOW.

>> AND IT'S NOT A SMALL POINT THAT FEWER PEOPLE ARE NEEDING HOSPITALIZATION, ET CETERA, BECAUSE OF STAFF SHORTAGES, FOLKS IN THE INDUSTRY GETTING SICK AND, YOU KNOW, JUST THE OTHER ISSUES THAT EVERYBODY HAD FINDING EMPLOYEES, SO IT COULD BE WORSE, I GUESS, RIGHT?

>> IT COULD BE.

ABSOLUTELY COULD BE WORSE.

IF OMICRON WAS AS SEVERE AS DELTA, WE WOULD BE IN A MUCH DIFFERENT SITUATION RIGHT NOW.

THINGS WOULD FEEL AND SEEM LIKE THEY WERE IN THE SPRING OF 2020.

WE'D BE BURSTING AT THE SEAMS WITH OVER 300 PATIENTS.

THANKFULLY, THAT'S NOT HAPPENING YET, AT LEAST, AND DESPITE THAT, WE ARE STILL PLANNING FOR THE WORST AS OUR HEALTH COMMISSION AND OUR GOVERNOR HAVE ASKED HOSPITALS TO DO JUST IN CASE.

>> NOW, THERE ARE TEST SHORTAGES.

IS THAT BECAUSE MORE PEOPLE ARE GETTING TESTED OR BECAUSE WE JUST DROPPED THE BALL AND TWO YEARS INTO THIS THING, WE DON'T HAVE ENOUGH TESTS AROUND?

>> WELL, I'LL START BY SAYING AS A COUNTRY, I DO WISH ACCESS IN PARTICULAR TO RAPID TESTING WAS BETTER.

BUT AGAIN, I DON'T THINK THERE'S AN EPIDEMIOLOGIST OUT THERE THAT WOULDN'T SAY THAT OMICRON WAS A MAJOR CURVEBALL IN HOW TRANSMISSIBLE IT WAS.

OF COURSE, WE'VE ALL BEEN AWARE OF THE RISK OF NEW VARIANTS, BUT NOBODY EXPECTED THIS TRANSMISSIBLE OF A VARIANT TO COME THIS SOON, AND SO BECAUSE OF THAT, HUGE PERCENTAGE OF THE POPULATION IS GOING TO GET OMICRON IF THEY HAVEN'T ALREADY, AND SO EVEN IF WE DID HAVE EASIER ACCESS TO RAPID TESTING, I THINK PEOPLE WOULD STILL BE STRUGGLING TO FIND TESTS JUST BECAUSE OF THE SHEER NUMBER OF PEOPLE GETTING INFECTED.

>> I HONESTLY DON'T KNOW IF THIS IS A DUMB QUESTION SO I'LL JUST APOLOGIZE IN ADVANCE IF IT IS, BUT DOES THE RAPID SPREAD OF OMICRON HASTEN, IN ANY WAY, WHAT IS, I ASSUME, OUR GOAL OF COMMUNITY OR HERD IMMUNITY?

>> I'VE NEVER HEARD A DUMB QUESTION FROM YOU, DAVID.

IT'S ACTUALLY A VERY GOOD QUESTION.

>> YOU'RE VERY KIND TO SAY THAT.

>> SO, YES, IT IS -- IT WOULD BE GOOD NEWS IF OMICRON SPREAD SIGNIFICANTLY TO THE GENERAL POPULATION WITHOUT CAUSING SIGNIFICANT MORBIDITY, HOSPITALIZATIONS AND DEATHS.

IF THAT ENDS UP HAPPENING, IT'S VERY ENCOURAGING NEWS BECAUSE THE ANTIBODIES AND THE IMMUNITY AGAINST OMICRON TURNS OUT LABORATORY EVIDENCE SHOWS THAT IT'S ALSO EFFECTIVE AGAINST A MORE SEVERE DELTA VARIANT.

AND SO, BECAUSE OF THAT GOOD NEWS, IF WE END UP SEEING HERD IMMUNITY FROM A LOT OF MILD INFECTIONS, THAT WILL PROTECT US GOING FORWARD, EVEN IF THERE IS A NEW VARIANT.

SO, THAT IS A VERY ENCOURAGING.

NOW, WE'VE SAID BEFORE THAT NEW VARIANTS WEREN'T A CONCERN, SO THAT'S AN IMPORTANT CAVEAT, BECAUSE AGAIN, PEOPLE DIDN'T EXPECT OMICRON.

BUT AT LEAST WITH THE VARIANTS WE KNOW ABOUT, WE WOULD BE MUCH CLOSER TO MAKING THIS AN ENDEMIC AND ENDING THE PANDEMIC.

>> THE CDC HAS COME UNDER CRITICISM FOR SOMETIMES MIXED AND CONFUSING GUIDANCE.

I MEAN, IF THERE'S AN AGENCY THAT HAS TO BE ON TOP OF ITS GAME RIGHT NOW, IT'S THE CDC.

BUT YOU KNOW, WHEN THEY SAY, FOR INSTANCE, YOU CAN TAKE YOUR MASKS OFF IF YOU'VE BEEN VACCINATED, AND THEN THEY TELL YOU TWO WEEKS LATER, OH, YOU KNOW, MAYBE YOU SHOULD WEAR YOUR MASK, WE SHOULD ALL SAY AND ACKNOWLEDGE THAT SCIENCE EVOLVES AND IS EVOLVING AND THE SCIENCE ON THIS IS EVOLVING AS WELL, BUT WHEN THE CDC IS GIVING MIXED MESSAGES, IT KIND OF CREATES OPPORTUNITIES FOR MISINFORMATION AND DISINFORMATION TO GET IN THERE, NO?

>> WELL, THAT'S ALWAYS A RISK WHEN YOU HAVE SUCH A RAPIDLY EVOLVING PANDEMIC AND WHAT I CAN SAY IS THAT THE FOLKS AT CDC ARE TRYING THEIR BEST TO ADAPT TO THE LATEST EVIDENCE.

EVEN IF THAT EVIDENCE RUNS COUNTER TO CONVENTIONAL THINKING ABOUT HOW PEOPLE SHOULD BE HANDLING THIS VIRUS, AND SO I'M SENSITIVE AS A FORMER PUBLIC HEALTH OFFICIAL MYSELF TO HOW DIFFICULT THESE DECISIONS CAN BE IN EXPLAINING SCIENCE IN CLEAR LANGUAGE AND UNDERSTANDABLE LANGUAGE TO THE GENERAL PUBLIC AND THEN MAKING RECOMMENDATIONS BASED ON THAT.

THERE'S NEVER BEEN MORE SCRUTINY ON ORGANIZATIONS LIKE THE CDC, AND SO, I UNDERSTAND THAT THERE'S FRUSTRATION, BUT UNDERSTANDING THAT, IT'S A RAPIDLY EVOLVING INFORMATION SET THAT'S COMING, EVIDENCE THAT'S COMING TO THE CDC, AND THEY'RE TRYING THEIR BEST TO KEEP UP.

>> LASTLY HERE, CASES IN KIDS ARE WAY UP.

WE'RE NEVER GOING TO PROVIDE 100% SAFE ENVIRONMENT IN SCHOOLS, BUT WHAT ARE YOU TELLING PARENTS NOW?

>> THE PARENTS THAT COME TO US, THE FIRST THING WE'RE TELLING THEM IS TO GET THEIR KID VACCINATED OVER THE AGE OF 5.

AGES 5 TO 11 HAS THAT LOWER DOSE OPTION FOR PFIZER AND THEN OF COURSE AGE 12 TO 17 CAN GET THE FULL DOSE OF PFIZER.

AND ALL OF THAT IS AVAILABLE TO THEM AND THAT'S THE MOST IMPORTANT THING TO PROTECT YOUR KID AND TO PROTECT YOURSELF AS A PARENT BECAUSE YOUR KID CAN BE A NUMBER ONE SOURCE OF THE INFECTION IF THEY ARE NOT VACCINATED.

THE SECOND THING WE'RE SAYING IS, MAKE SURE THAT YOU ARE UP TO SPEED WITH THE CDC GUIDELINES WHET WHEN IT COMES TO ISOLATION.

IT'S ONLY FIVE DAYS RIGHT NOW BASED ON THE LATEST EVIDENCE ABOUT HOW THIS VIRUS SPREADS, AND SO THAT ALLOWS FOLKS TO, QUOTE, UNQUOTE, DO THE TEST AND STAY STRATEGY SHOULD SCHOOL DISTRICTS ALLOW FOR THAT.

I THINK THAT'S A USEFUL WAY TO KEEP SCHOOLS OPEN SAFELY.

WE'RE IN A MUCH DIFFERENT WORLD NOW THAN WE WERE IN 2020 WHEN IT COMES TO SCHOOL SAFETY, A LOT MORE KNOWLEDGE ABOUT HOW TO KEEP KIDS, TEACHERS AND STAFF SAFE.

SO THE GOAL SHOULD BE TO KEEP SCHOOLS OPEN.

WE'VE SEEN A LOT OF LEARNING LOSS IN OUR KIDS AND A LOT OF OTHER PUBLIC HEALTH EFFECTS ACCORDING TO A RELEASE RECENTLY BY THE SURGEON GENERAL ABOUT ALL OF THE EFFECTS ON KIDS AND ADOLESCENTS.

WE REALLY NEED TO KEEP SCHOOLS OPEN.

>> SO, AND I'LL LET YOU GO ON THIS ONE, WHAT'S THE NEXT FEW MONTHS LOOK LIKE, AND WHAT COMES AFTER THAT?

>> WELL, AS YOU ALLUDED TO, WE'RE GOING TO SEE EXPLOSIONS OF THIS INFECTION HERE IN NEW JERSEY AND ACROSS THE COUNTRY.

WE HOPE THAT EVEN A SMALL PERCENTAGE OF A BIG NUMBER OF PEOPLE REQUIRING HOSPITALIZATION WON'T OVERWHELM OUR HOSPITALS, BUT IF WE'RE ABLE TO GET THROUGH THAT HUMP, AND WE'RE ABLE TO START SEEING HOSPITALIZATIONS DECREASE AGAIN, AND INFECTION RATES, VACCINATION, BOOSTING, ALL THE THINGS THAT GIVE US IMMUNITY LEAD US TO HERD IMMUNITY, WE SHOULD HOPEFULLY BE IN A MUCH BETTER PLACE AS EARLY AS MID TO LATE MARCH.

I THINK THAT'S WHAT THE TRAJECTORY IS LOOKING LIKE NOW, KNOCK ON WOOD, WITH ALL THE CAVEATS, PRAYERS THAT YOU CAN.

BUT I'M HOPEFUL THAT WITH THIS LATEST OMICRON WAVE, WE WILL HAVE ENOUGH POPULATION LEVEL IMMUNITY TO REALLY MOVE INTO ENDEMIC PHASE.

>> ALL RIGHT.

SHEREEF ELNAHAL, THANKS FOR COMING ON WITH US.

TALK SOON, MAN.

>> THANK YOU SO MUCH.

>> NEXT WEEK MARKS THE END OF THE LEGISLATIVE SESSION.

IT ALSO MEANS THE END OF SENATE PRESIDENT STEVE SWEENEY'S TERM AND THE RETIREMENT OF SENATE MAJORITY LEADER LORETTA WEINBERG, AMONG OTHER CHANGES COMING TO BOTH PARTIES.

OUR NEXT GUEST THEWILL BE STEPP UP TO THE MAJORITY LEADER'S SEAT.

SENATOR, I TALK TO YOU A LOT BUT YOU RARELY COME ON THE SHOW SO THANKS FOR TAKING SOME TIME WITH US.

>> THANK YOU.

WELL, YOU KNOW, I DO HAVE A HEAVY SCHEDULE.

I'M A POLICY MAKER, I HAVE A FULL-TIME JOB AND I'M A MOTHER.

BUT I ALWAYS FIT YOU IN, DAVID.

>> YES, YOU'RE VERY KIND.

THANKS.

>> I AM.

>> SO, YOU'VE BEEN A VOCAL MEMBER OF THE CAUCUS FOR A WHILE NOW, AND MAJORITY LEADER, THOUGH, THAT MAKES A LITTLE MORE FORMAL.

YOU'RE GOING TO BE GETTING MUCH -- YOU'RE GOING TO BE MUCH MORE SOUGHT AFTER, AT LEAST, BY THE PRESS AND OTHERS.

I ALSO KNOW THAT YOU PREFER TO BE IN THE BACKGROUND A LOT.

ARE YOU MENTALLY PREPARING YOURSELF FOR DOUBLE THE NAGGING PHONE CALLS?

>> SO, I THINK YOU HAVE THAT A LITTLE BIT OFF KILTER.

EDUCATION HAS BECOME SUCH A FOCAL POINT IN THE LAST FOUR YEARS THAT EVEN IF I WANTED TO FALL TO THE BACKSIDE, I HAVEN'T BEEN.

I TALK TO REPORTERS ALL THE TIME.

IT'S A PRESSING ISSUE.

IT'S A NATIONAL ISSUE.

IT'S A STATE AND COMMUNITY ISSUE.

I'VE BEEN IN THIS SPACE FOR OVER A DECADE ALREADY FOR THE CHALLENGE.

MORE IMPORTANTLY, I THINK WHAT THE SEAT AFFORDS ME IS A GREATER STAGE TO ADVOCATE FOR OUR CHILDREN AND OUR PUBLIC SCHOOL SYSTEMS.

>> RIGHT.

SO, BUT WHAT I MEANT WAS, OBVIOUSLY, WE'RE GOING TO GET TO EDUCATION IN A MINUTE, THAT'S ALWAYS BEEN AND CONTINUES TO BE YOUR PRIORITY ISSUE-WISE, BUT JUST IN TERMS OF THE BROADER RESPONSIBILITY OF LEADING THE CAUCUS, AND THAT SORT OF STUFF.

>> YEAH, SO, I WILL TELL YOU THIS.

I THINK -- >> THERE'S MORE POLITICS, IN OTHER WORDS, WHICH YOU'RE NOT ALWAYS THAT MUCH INTO.

>> I'M NOT -- WELL, OBVIOUSLY, I AM VERY INTO POLITICS, BECAUSE I RUN FOR OFFICE.

I JUST DO THINGS DIFFERENTLY, AND I THINK I DO THINGS IN AN UNEXPECTED WAY OF WHAT PEOPLE PERCEIVE WHAT HAS TO BE DONE IN ORDER TO GET THINGS DONE, IF THAT MAKES SENSE.

>> EDUCATION IS STILL GOING TO BE YOUR TOP PRIORITY.

WHAT'S AT THE TOP?

>> GLOBALLY, STATEWIDE, AND THESE NUMBERS MAY BE OFF A LITTLE BIT FROM WHAT I CAN REMEMBER, 41% OR SO OF THE GENERAL POPULATION IN THE STATE WERE IN NEED OF STRONG SUPPORT.

SO I WOULD EQUATE THAT WITH SAYING THAT THEY'RE NOT AT GRADE LEVEL, RIGHT?

WHEN YOU PEEL THAT BACK, AND I'M SPECIFICALLY TALKING ABOUT FOURTH GRADERS, BECAUSE THIS IS CRITICALLY IMPORTANT.

ANYONE WHO'S IN THE ED SPACE WHO UNDERSTANDS WHAT THIRD GRADE MEANS FOR ITS STUDENTS, WHEN YOU PEEL THAT FILM BACK AND LOOK AT THAT PICTURE AGAIN, YOU SEE AFRICAN AMERICAN AND LATINA STUDENTS AT 70-PLUS PERCENT NEEDING STRONG SUPPORT.

WE TALK ABOUT A HEALTH CRISIS IN THIS STATE AND IN THIS COUNTRY.

WE HAVE MITIGATION FACTORS.

YOU CAN WEAR A MASK, GET VACCINATED, GET A BOOSTER, GET TESTED.

I'M SAYING THERE'S A CALL TO ACTION BECAUSE WE HAVE AN EDUCATION PANDEMIC THAT'S BEEN FACING COMMUNITIES FOR OVER A DECADE, WE'RE IN THE MIDDLE OF A CRISIS.

THE NUMBERS ARE FACTUAL AND REAL.

EVERYBODY HAS TO HAVE AN ALL HANDS ON DECK APPROACH AND ONE THAT'S GOING TO REQUIRE COURAGE AND UNCOMFORTABLE CONVERSATIONS BUT THERE IS NO MORE TIME FOR SOMEONE TO MAKE A PRESENTATION AND SAY, THIS IS THE NUMBER.

THIS IS WHERE OUR CHILDREN ARE AT.

I WANT TO HEAR WHAT IS THE ACTION THAT WE'RE GOING TO TAKE TO BRING STUDENTS BACK UP TO SPEED AND FOR ONCE, BECAUSE WE HAVE A ONCE-IN-A-LIFETIME OPPORTUNITY HERE, THE LIGHT AT THE END OF THE TUNNEL OF THIS PANDEMIC HAS BEEN THAT THE STATE HAS BEEN RESOURCED WITH BILLIONS OF DOLLARS.

DISTRICTS HAVE GOTTEN MILLIONS OF DOLLARS SPECIFICALLY FOCUSED ON SAFETY AND HEALTH, MENTAL HEALTH RESOURCES, AND CLOSING THE ACHIEVEMENT GAP.

WE CAN DO THIS IF WE ARE HONEST, IF WE ARE COURAGEOUS, IF WE'RE PASSIONATE, AND IF WE'RE COMMITTED.

>> AND YOU KNOW, SO MANY OF THE ISSUES THAT SCHOOLS FACE WERE EXACERBATED BY AND IN MANY CASES FINALLY EXPOSED BY THE PANDEMIC.

LEARNING LOSS IS ONE OF THEM.

WE EXPERIENCED IT LAST YEAR BECAUSE KIDS WENT PART REMOTE, AND NOW WE'RE GOING BACK, IT SEEMS.

A LOT OF THE DEPARTMENTS, I MEAN, NEWARK, JERSEY CITY, MANY OF THE LARGE DEPARTMENTS ARE GOING BACK TO REMOTE LEARNING, BUT AT THE SAME TIME, WE KIND OF DISMANTLED THE INFRASTRUCTURE FOR REMOTE LEARNING.

I MEAN, NOBODY WANTS REMOTE LEARNING, BUT WE SHOULD ALL BE READY TO GO BACK TO IT IF WE NEED TO, NO?

>> YEAH, I DON'T BELIEVE THAT WE DISMANTLED IT.

FAMILIES SHOULD BE MORE RESOURCED THAN THEY WERE.

EDUCATORS AND STAFF SHOULD BE MORE EQUIPPED WITH THE TRAINING THAT THEY HAVE HAD.

THE ISSUE HERE IS THAT NO ONE WANTS TO GO TO REMOTE LEARNING.

IT CREATES A CHILD CARE ISSUE THAT SPECIFICALLY IMPACTS WOMEN IN THE LABOR WORKFORCE.

WHEN YOU GET A NOTICE FROM THE SCHOOL, BECAUSE IT'S A TWOFOLD THING.

IT'S NOT EVEN A HEALTH ISSUE.

LET ME EXPLAIN TO YOU.

I KNOW A DISTRICT THAT DURING THE HOLIDAY WEEK, TESTED STAFF.

BASED ON THE OUTCOMES OF THAT THURSDAY'S TEST, THEY WOULD NOT HAVE HAD ENOUGH PERSONNEL TO OPEN THE SCHOOL DISTRICT ON MONDAY MORNING IF THEY WANTED TO, WHICH THEY WANTED TO DO.

THIS BECOMES A STAFFING ISSUE, RIGHT?

IT BECOMES A MULTIPRONGED APPROACH.

YOU KNOW, I WISH WE WOULD HAVE HAD A UNIFORM KIND OF BLANKET FOR THE FIRST WEEK OF RETURN BACK TO SCHOOL.

I'M ENCOURAGED THAT THE -- THERE'S SOME GUIDANCE THAT HAS BEEN PUT OUT THERE WITH TEST AND STAY.

I'M REQUESTING THAT THE ADMINISTRATION CONTINUE TO MOVE IN THAT DIRECTION AND GIVE DISTRICTS THE -- WHAT THEY NEED SO THAT NEXT WEEK WHEN STUDENTS COME BACK IN, THEY'LL BE TESTING AND STAYING OUR FACULTY AND STAFF AND STUDENTS SO WE DON'T HAVE TO LEARN FROM A LIVING ROOM AGAIN.

THIS IS A MULTIPRONG THING.

IT DOESN'T SOLELY IMPACT THE ACADEMIC ACHIEVEMENT OF THE CHILD'S SOCIAL EMOTIONAL WELLBEING.

IT IMPACTS THAT FAMILY.

IF YOU DO NOT HAVE ACCESS TO RESOURCES, IN CERTAIN CIRCUMSTANCES, YOU WILL SEE FAMILIES THAT YET AGAIN WILL HAVE TO SAY, DO I NOT GET PAID FOR TWO WEEKS AND STAY HOME OR DO I NOT LOG IN MY CHILD FOR TWO WEEKS AND GO TO WORK?

THAT IS NOT A DECISION THAT ANYONE IN THIS COUNTRY SHOULD HAVE TO MAKE.

>> TEST AND STAY.

TELL PEOPLE WHAT THAT IS REALLY QUICK.

>> SO, I AM NOT THE -- >> YOU'RE NOT THE TEST AND STAY EXPERT.

>> I'M NOT THE EXPERT ON THIS, BUT FROM WHAT I KNOW, NEW YORK, CALIFORNIA, AND I BELIEVE ILLINOIS HAVE BEEN DOING THIS.

IT'S JUST ANOTHER STEP TO BE SURE THAT IF SOMEONE'S ENTERING THE BUILDING THAT AT THAT MOMENT THEY ARE NOT SHOWING POSITIVE RESULTS SO THAT WE CAN KEEP STUDENTS -- THE FOCUS OF IT, FROM WHAT I UNDERSTAND, IS SO WE CAN KEEP FOCUS OF STUDENTS AND STAFF TO REDUCE THE AMOUNT OF EXPOSURE AS OPPOSED TO HAVING SOMEONE BECOME SYMPTOMATIC AFTER THEY'VE BEEN IN A CERTAIN PLACE AND TIME AND THEN REQUIRING THAT CLASS TO GO REMOTE YET AGAIN.

AND LOOK, EVEN WHEN YOU HAVE -- THERE IS NO PERFECT EQUATION TO THIS, BECAUSE IF THERE WERE, I WOULD HOPE THAT DISTRICTS AND THE STATE WOULD BE DOING THIS.

I JUST DON'T FEEL THAT -- I CONTINUE TO BE HEARTBROKEN AND DISAPPOINTED AT WHAT I PERCEIVE A SENSE OF URGENCY IN THIS SPACE THAT DOESN'T EXIST.

AND MAYBE IT'S BECAUSE I'M ED ALL THE TIME.

MAYBE IT'S BECAUSE I'M A MOTHER.

MAYBE IT'S BECAUSE THIS IS THE FIELD THAT I WAS RAISED IN.

MAYBE IT'S BECAUSE I COME FROM A FAMILY WHERE I'M THE FIRST TO GO TO COLLEGE AND MY DAD ONLY WENT TO FOURTH GRADE AND YOU SEE THAT DYNAMIC KIND OF LIFE EXPERIENCE VERSUS SOMEONE WHO'S HAD THE OPPORTUNITY, MAYBE IT'S ALL OF THAT, BUT TO BE HONEST, AND IT'S NOT UNIQUE TO THE STATE OF NEW JERSEY, TEACHER SHORTAGES, STAFFING, ALL THIS STUFF HAS SAVED DISTRICTS IN THE COUNTRY OVERALL.

IT IS FRUSTRATING TO OFTENTIMES HEAR ABOUT BILLS ON THE FEDERAL LEVEL, TO TALK ABOUT ALL OF THIS STUFF.

THIS COUNTRY HAS NEVER FOCUSED ON EDUCATION THE WAY IT SHOULD.

AND THAT, TO ME, IS SHAMEFUL.

>> LET ME ASK YOU THIS BECAUSE I'M RUNNING OUT OF TIME.

YOU HAVE, ON OCCASION, BEEN CRITICAL OF THIS GOVERNOR FOR NOT MOVING FAST ENOUGH ON SOME THINGS AND MOVING TOO FAST ON OTHERS.

WE'RE GOING INTO THE STATE OF THE STATE ADDRESS NEXT WEEK.

CAN YOU ASSESS THIS FIRST TERM OF THIS GOVERNOR AND WHAT YOU HOPE FOR IN THE SECOND TERM, PARTICULARLY AS IT PERTAINS TO EDUCATION?

>> I WOULD HOPE THAT, YOU KNOW, THIS IS NOT A PANDEMIC THAT STARTED A MONTH AGO.

YOU SAID SOMETHING IN YOUR OPENING OF A QUESTION TO ME THAT LEARNING LOSS, THAT THINGS WERE ELEVATED, RIGHT?

THE TRUTH IS THAT THESE ISSUES AND MANY OF US HAVE BEEN ARTICULATING AND FIGHTING FOR HAVE EXISTED AND COMPOUNDING COMMUNITIES FOR A LONG TIME.

THE DIFFERENCE HAS BEEN THAT THE DIFFICULT CHANGED AND PEOPLE WHO NEVER UNDERSTOOD WHAT A TEACHER SHORTAGE OR ACADEMIC LEARNING LOSS WAS WERE NOW EXPERIENCING IT.

SO, IT ELEVATED THE AGENDA.

WE KNOW WHAT WE HAVE TO DO.

I FIRMLY BELIEVE THAT.

I HOPE THAT IN THIS NEW TERM THAT WE'RE MOVING IN, THAT THAT LEVEL OF URGENCY THAT I FEEL OFTENTIMES GETS PROVIDED TO OTHER SECTORS, THAT THEY LEAN IN AND THAT THE D.O.E.

BECOMES THIS REPOSITORY OF POLICY ACROSS FOR DISTRICTS TO LEAN ON, A LEVEL OF GOVERNMENT THAT'S NOT VIEWED AS BUREAUCRACY BUT IS INNOVATIVE TO MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE LOOKING AT A QUICK TURN AROUND FOR CERTIFICATIONS FOR SUBSTITUTE TEACHERS AND TEACHERS, THAT WE THINK CREATIVELY SO WE CAN GET TEACHERS IN PLAY AND IN PLACE FOR WHEN CLASSROOMS ARE EMPTY.

I FIRMLY BELIEVE THAT THIS ADMINISTRATION WANTS TO DO WHAT'S RIGHT, AND I OFFER MYSELF ALWAYS.

I'M NOT AN -- I DON'T PRETEND TO SAY THAT I HAVE ALL THE ANSWERS, BUT WHAT I DO KNOW IS THAT WE CAN'T KEEP REPEATING THE SAME THING.

IT JUST DOESN'T WORK.

IT DOESN'T WORK.

WE HAVE AN ACHIEVEMENT GAP IN THE STATE.

I WOULD BE ECHOING THE SAME CONVERSATION IF COVID-19 WASN'T EVEN A WORD THAT YOU AND I KNEW.

LEARNING LOSS HAS BEEN REAL.

LEARNING LOSS HAS BEEN REAL, AND LET ME JUST -- I KNOW WE'RE RUNNING OUT OF TIME, BUT I WANT YOUR VIEWERS TO UNDERSTAND ONE REALLY CRITICAL THING.

PRENATAL TO THIRD GRADE CHILDREN LEARN.

THIRD GRADE AND BEYOND, EVEN YOU AS AN ADULT, WHEN YOU OPEN A PACKAGE, YOU ARE READING TO LEARN.

IF YOU'RE PUTTING SOMETHING TOGETHER.

THAT COHORT OF STUDENTS THAT -- THIS MORNING, SOMEONE SAID THEY ONLY HAD SIX MONTHS OF REALTIME IN-CLASSROOM ACTIVITY OVER THE LAST THREE ACADEMIC SCHOOL YEARS.

>> YEAH.

>> THAT COHORT THAT WE DON'T KNOW WHERE THEIR READING STATISTICS ARE, FINALLY, FINE TUNELY, THE NUMBERS ARE 40% NEEDS SUPPORT, 70% IN THE MINORITY COMMUNITIES THAT NEED GREATER SUPPORT.

WHAT IS IT THAT WE'RE DOING TO SAVE THEIR LIVES?

BECAUSE IF YOU DON'T UNDERSTAND THAT THE TRAJECTORY AFTER THIRD GRADE, THAT PATHWAY, IF YOU CAN NOT READ AND HAVE ACADEMIC SUCCESS, THEN YOU ARE GOING DOWN A LIFETIME OF OBSTACLES THAT WILL FACE YOU THAT YOU HAVE NO CONTROL OVER.

>> ALL RIGHT, PASSIONATE AS EVER ON ONE OF THE BIGGEST ISSUES FACING OUR STATE.

SENATOR TERESA RUIZ, SOON TO BE THE SENATE MAJORITY LEADER, THANKS FOR COMING ON WITH US.

GOOD TO SEE YOU.

>> THANK YOU FOR HAVING ME.

I HOPE EVERYONE HAS A GREAT 2022 AND I HOPE THIS YEAR WHEN WE SAY THAT IT'S HEALTHY AND IT'S SAFE AND SECURE, THAT WE'RE NOT REPEATING IT AGAIN IN 2023, BECAUSE THERE'S GOT TO BE HOPE.

BUT I'M FIRMLY STEEPED IN THAT.

THANK YOU, EVERYONE.

>> ALL RIGHT, SENATOR, THANK YOU.

THAT'S "CHAT BOX" FOR TODAY.

THANKS AGAIN TO SENATOR RUIZ AND SHEREEF ELNAHAL.

JOIN US TUESDAY AT 5:00 P.M.

WHEN NJ SPOTLIGHT NEWS BRINGS YOU LIVE COVERAGE OF GOVERNOR MURPHY'S STATE OF THE STATE ADDRESS.

I'LL BE ANCHORING THE COVERAGE, AND COLLEEN O'DAY AMONG OTHERS WILL BE WITH US.

THAT'S TUESDAY AT 5:00 ON NJ PBS AND ALL OUR STREAMING PLATFORMS.

YOU CAN FOLLOW ME ON TWITTER, @DAVIDCRUZNJ, AND BE SURE TO SUBSCRIBE TO THE YOUTUBE CHANNEL FOR MORE STUFF LIKE NJ "BUSINESS BEAT," NJ SPOTLIGHT NEWS, AND LIVE STREAMS OF IMPORTANT EVENTS.

I'M DAVID CRUZ.

FOR ALL THE CREW OVER HERE, THANKS FOR WATCHING.

WE'LL SEE YOU NEXT WEEK.

>> Announcer: MAJOR FUNDING FOR "CHAT BOX" WITH DAVID CRUZ IS PROVIDED BY FUEL MERCHANTS ASSOCIATION OF NEW JERSEY AND SMART HEAT NJ.

THE MEMBERS OF THE NEW JERSEY EDUCATION ASSOCIATION, MAKING PUBLIC SCHOOLS GREAT FOR EVERY CHILD.

NJM INSURANCE GROUP, SERVING THE INSURANCE NEEDS OF NEW JERSEY RESIDENTS AND BUSINESSES FOR MORE THAN 100 YEARS.

PROMOTIONAL SUPPORT IS PROVIDED BY INSIDER NJ, A POLITICAL INTELLIGENCE NETWORK DEDICATED TO NEW JERSEY POLITICAL NEWS.

INSIDER NJ IS COMMITTED TO GIVING SERIOUS POLITICAL PLAYERS AN INTERACTIVE FORUM FOR IDEAS, DISCUSSION, AND INSIGHT.

ONLINE AT INSIDERNJ.COM.

--Captions by VITAC -- www.vitac.com