#NJEdMarch27
By:  Love Light

 

 

On the afternoon of March 18^th, a scheduled rally occurred in the city of Newark to defend public education and to push back against the chokehold control that Cami Anderson is exerting upon the school district.  This rally was not only to protest the projected layoff of teachers and staff within the Newark Public School system.  This rally was not only to protest the incorporation and co-location of various charter schools within the city and within district buildings.  This protest was about the demand for civil rights. 

 

 Teachers, students, community members, and various organizations, such as United Communities of NJ, Healthy Families of NJ, and members of the NJ Badass Teachers Association all melded together into one united front, carrying the same message; Newark demands local control.  Chants were vocalized, shouting out “Save our schools!” and “Whose schools?? OUR schools!” as protesters united, joining hands, even causing the shutdown of a major intersection within the city. 

 

All over the state of NJ, cries can be heard that echo those of yesterday’s protest.  Shouts against restrictive and burdensome mandates, unfair funding of budgets, and abusive testing procedures have become the norm for districts throughout the state.  Voices are rising up, demanding respect and control of our schools, our teaching profession, and of our children.  In Newark, and across the state, one strong political voice has risen to carry the voices of the communities into government.  Ras Baraka, the ‘educational mayor’ has become the people’s candidate in this year’s mayoral race. 

 

On Thursday, March 27^th, the voice of Ras Baraka will join other organizations in Trenton for #NJEdMarch27.  I strongly urge everyone to attend this rally to defend public education, to listen to Ras Baraka speak, to join your voice to the many others that are fighting for control of our future. 

 

More information about the event can be found at http://goo.gl/KJDZu9