Newark NJ students call for local control of schools run by state
By Sebastien Malo
NEWARK, N.J. (Reuters) - Hundreds of Newark, New Jersey, students walked out of classes on Friday to protest policies of the city's top schools official, who was appointed by the state to overhaul the struggling education system.
The protests are an effort to wrest control of Newark's schools from Superintendent Cami Anderson, whose appointment has met with bitter opposition from students, parents and teachers unions in New Jersey's largest city.
Anderson's "One Newark" plan calls for some schools to be consolidated or shut, charter schools expanded and some students shifted to schools far from home.
Newark Mayor Ras Baraka, who has accused Anderson of mismanagement and called for her resignation, threw his support behind the protesting students.
"Today's protests signify an important fact: our Newark Public School students understand that they are not receiving the education they deserve from the Newark Public School system," he said in a statement.
Baraka and other Newark officials say Anderson's "Renew Schools" initiative, intended to improve performance at elementary schools by giving principals added hiring powers, has resulted in lower student achievement.
Among the protesters' concerns as well was the so-called turnaround program, designed to curb poor performance. Being designated a turnaround school means longer classes and added training for teachers.
Chanting "Cami Anderson has got to go," students blocked traffic in downtown Newark.
"We're protesting today to demand full local control," said Thais Marques, a protest organizer.
"If you don't have full local control, Cami Anderson and Governor (Chris) Christie will continue to shut down our schools in the name of programs like 'turnaround,' 'renew,' 'co-locate,' whatever you want to call it," he said.
Once a thriving manufacturing center, Newark struggles with urban blight and high crime. Nearly one in three residents lives in poverty, according to the U.S. Census.
Eighth-grader Papie Roberts marched with his father, who said that under the renew program, several teachers had been replaced at the boy's school.
"You destroy the whole fabric," said his father, Thomas Ibiang.
The state, which has controlled Newark schools for 20 years, renewed Anderson's contract in
Read more: http://www.businessinsider.com/r-newark-nj-students-call-for-local-control-of-schools-run-by-state-2015-5#ixzz3auQzhrfg
