Newark Teachers Union President John M. Abeigon spoke with CBS New York’s Jenna DeAngelis on Aug. 17 about the factors behind Newark schools going with all-remote learning through mid-November.

“There’s so much panic because of all the negative media about failed school reopenings … in this climate, we couldn’t reopen in September,” said Abeigon, a member of the district’s reopening task force.

Watch the full clip here.