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The high school remains open for instruction, officials said. Some of the students are on hybrid or virtual instruction, but sports practices are still held daily in the school.
There was no immediate comment or details from school district administrators.
Sayreville reported that the total number of confirmed COVID-positive cases in the borough recently reached 2,930 since the pandemic began in early March 2020.
As of the morning of Jan. 18, there have been 64 confirmed COVID deaths of Sayreville residents, the borough reported.
The union did not specify exactly how many student-athletes have tested positive, what teams they play on, or how many high school grades are affected.
While the Sayreville Education Association said it respects the privacy of student athletes, the broader concerns for schools and community health and safety must take precedence during a pandemic, the union said in a press statement.
The district has been vague in its disclosure of COVID information to its staff making it difficult to keep themselves, their families, and the community safe, the union said.
"With new, more contagious and deadly strains of the virus appearing, SEA finds the district’s lack of transparency particularly troubling," the union statement said.
“At a time when schools across the state are trying to move students to fully in-person instruction, failing to close a school building with a significant outbreak in a student population creates an environment of distrust and skepticism,” explained Sayreville Education Association President Ken Veres. “How can we expect our district to keep staff and students safe if they’re unwilling to share potentially life-threatening information?”
SEA said believes that being cautious now until more staff are vaccinated will give students the opportunity to come back to school safely.
“Keeping our students, staff, and community safe during this pandemic is our priority,” Veres said. “To accomplish this, we need transparency and cooperation from the district.”
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