Parents, Immigration Advocates Share Worries At Newark School Board Meeting

NEWARK, NJ — Dozens of local parents and immigration advocates attended the latest Newark Board of Education meeting to voice their worries about potential discrimination in New Jersey’s largest public school district.

As reported by Chalkbeat Newark, several people spoke during the public comment portion of Thursday’s meeting, raising concerns about school lunches, racism, bullying, student achievement, parent engagement, overcrowded classrooms, and support for English language learners and students with disabilities.

Watch video footage from the meeting below, or view it online here.

Representatives from two advocacy groups – Movimiento Cosecha and New Labor – attended the meeting, which also included a vote to extend Superintendent Roger León’s contract.

• See Related: Newark School Board Declines To Extend Superintendent’s Contract

According to New Labor, students who live in Newark's East Ward and who would have attended Ann Street, Oliver Street, Lafayette Street and South Street schools are being bussed to schools up to 30 minutes away – to schools that don’t have the same number of bilingual and ESL staff members.

“We know that families who are new to this country are being told that the schools are full and their children are being put on buses to go too far away schools and this is not good for kids,” said Rafael Chavez Santiago, an organizer with New Labor.

“Because these families’ first language is not English, they are forced to go along,” Santiago said. “We are here to say that this is wrong and we are going to make sure that the board of education hears us.”

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