COVID, BLM Movement: Princeton's Top Stories in 2020

Princeton NJ

30 December, 2020

1:46 PM

Description

PRINCETON, NJ – Many would not want to relive 2020. Like the rest of the country, Princeton's year was shaped by the pandemic and the effects of the shutdown. The town saw death, tragedy and job losses. Patch is looking back at a year one will never forget. Here's are some of the top stories from Princeton in 2020. Gov. Murphy Announces NJ 'Stay-At-Home' In March, Gov. Phil Murphy announced stay-at-home orders, after state COVID cases rose to 1,327. He did not provide any date for reopening. The order provided for certain exceptions, such as obtaining essential goods or services, seeking medical attention, visiting family or close friends, reporting to work or engaging in outdoor activities. Princeton Reports First COVID-19 Death In the first week of April, the Princeton Health Department reported its first COVID-19 death. The woman in her 90s, may have acquired COVID-19 through contact with a home health aide, the Princeton Health Department said. Princeton University Moves to Virtual Instruction Princeton University began virtual instruction on March 23 to mitigate the spread of COVID-19 on campus. In a letter to the community, Princeton University President Chris Eisgruber said the decision was made to "decrease the number of instances that require community members to gather in large groups or spend extended periods of time in close proximity with each other." Lectures and seminars went online and the size of campus gatherings and meetings were also limited. Princeton Removes John Witherspoon Name From Middle School As the Black Lives Matter movement swept through the country, a Princeton High School graduate, Geoffrey Allen, created a petition to rename John Witherspoon Middle School "to rid itself of its slave-owning and anti-abolitionist namesake, John Witherspoon." After much discussions, John Witherspoon's name was removed from the Princeton middle school following a unanimous vote by the board of education. Princeton Unified Middle School (PUMS) was chosen as an interim name. The move to rename the school even won praise from former First Lady Michelle Obama. Biden Nominates Princeton Professor To Economic Team Princeton Professor Cecilia Rouse was nominated by President-elect Joe Biden to chair the Council of Economic Advisers. If confirmed by the Senate, Rouse would be the first woman of color to chair the council. Rouse is the dean of the School of Public and International Affairs (SPIA). Feds Investigating Princeton University For Racial Bias In September, the US Department of Education opened an investigation into Princeton's non-discrimination practices. This came after the university's acknowledgement of "systemic racism" on campus. In a public statement, the university called the investigation "unfortunate".