This just in from NEW Caucus - a followup to our last post:
Video: Newark Student Union Conducts a Sit-in at The Newark Public Schools Board's Budget Meeting and Cami Walks Out Again!
As of 11:55 tonight, there are 10 members of the Newark Student Union spending the night at 2 Cedar Street in the room where the Advisory Board holds its business meetings.
After our small but successful rally this afternoon, the students went upstairs, issued their demands and sat down in the floor in the front of the room. The demands were:
1) The immediate resignation of Cami Anderson
2) An immediate halt to One-Newark
3) Implementation of Newark Promise (the community driven report created over months and presented Saturday)
4) A meeting with Anderson and NJ Commissioner of Education David Hespe.
When they were offered the meeting with Anderson and Hespe, but had the other demands refused, they remained seated and refused to leave. The meeting was ended, the adults all left, and the students controlled the room. And they still control the room right now.
This is an INSPIRING example of what human beings can do when they show solidarity with each other and work together to fight injustice imposed by the wealthy and powerful! A small group of students are literally putting their bodies on the gears of power, and stopping those gears from functioning!
For we adults - often too afraid to take action even when our own profession, reputations, livelihoods and callings are under attack - this action should show us that it is not acceptable to bury our heads in the sand as public education is destroyed! We hope this will be a call to action for the many adults who have thus far refused to stand up for themselves, their schools, and their students!
BUT, the students have not eaten much since 6 or 7 pm, and are hungry now. And, they will be truly hungry in the morning. AND, they need moral support. So, if you are at all able and have time in the morning, please help and support these students in any way possible, either materially (food and beverages) or morally (going to 2 Cedar St to show support, or telling friends about their action).
Please tell friends, family, and colleagues about their fight and their current situation. They need all the support they can get.
NEW Caucus stands in solidarity with the Newark Students Union!
In Solidarity,
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