The school district in Clifton is pulling students out of the classroom, having all grades return to remote learning starting on Monday. Officials say this is all part of being in the expected second wave of coronavirus.

The Clifton School District is reacting not only to their numbers in school buildings, but what is happening in the community. The city reported 25 new cases as of Tuesday.

Within the last seven days, the Clifton district says 12 students and four staffers tested positive for COVID-19, and a total of 155 students and 33 staffers have had to quarantine.

Superintendent Danny A. Robertozzi said, "We know that this decision may adversely impact some of our families. However, at this time, the risks of keeping schools open outweigh the benefits of in-person instruction. To return to in-person learning, local data will need to demonstrate a clear and lasting decrease in COVID-19 cases."

There are also fears that the Thanksgiving holiday and Christmas break could bring on more cases. Robertozzi has said they won't revisit getting back in person until mid-January.

"To me, it's not a choice. We have the safety of our children and staff members, the children and their families, staff and their families," New Jersey Education Association President Marie Blistan said. She fully supports the decision of Clifton and any other district doing the same.

Statewide there are 36 school outbreaks, with 146 cases linked to those outbreaks.

Blistan says if districts need to close and stay remote after the holidays, she supports it.

Gov. Phil Murphy has not made any mandate that schools close after the holidays but has supported districts to make individual decisions.