Crowd rallies against proposed virtual charter school in Teaneck
WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 7, 2011 LAST UPDATED: WEDNESDAY DECEMBER 7, 2011, 7:08 PM
THE RECORD
TEANECK — A boisterous crowd of students, parents and faculty packed the Teaneck High School gym Wednesday afternoon to protest a proposed virtual charter school they claim would wreck the district’s budget and force painful cuts.
MICHAEL KARAS/STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER
Proponents hold signs as they march in a circle in the gym at the start of the rally.
School officials and police estimated about 200 people turned out at 3:30 p.m. for an event scheduled to last several hours. Students waved signs declaring “Don’t bleed our good public schools” and “Local $$ for Teaneck Scholars.”
Speakers took the microphone to call for a local vote on charter approvals throughout the state and to criticize the proposal for a full-time cyber charter — all while student drummers pounded to bolster the applause.
“This virtual charter will do much more harm than