Skip to content
View Featured Image

After 12 Hour Blockade Newark Students: ‘We Believe That We Will Win’

Above: Newark students declare “We have nothing to lose except our chains.” All photos from Twitter, #ournewark.

Students Declare Victory After 12 Hour Blockade that Shut Down Newark

After holding a blockade for nearly 12 hours, Newark students release their arms, form a group hug and chant “I believe that we will win! I believe that we will win!”

Newark students chant I believe that we will win after 12 hour blockade
Source: @SeaNick,  pic.twitter.com/MPm68STs4v

A students mother has watched her daughter link arms for 12 hours. Tells her daughter how proud she is

Newark mom hugs student after 12 hour blockade
Source: @SeaNick, pic.twitter.com/qhh6RjGqjR

After a nearly 12 hour blockade Newark students decided to call off the arrest and unlinked their arms from the PVC pipes Newark students break chain Newark students at end of blockade

Update: Four Hours Later Students are Still Blocking Roads in Newark

Newark four hours later 3

Student say they will not leave until their demands are met or until they are forcibly removed. They are blocking the streets of Broad and Raymond. Some people are buying them ices but they could use food and water. Follow them on twitter #OurNewark. Newark four hours later 5 Newark four hours later 4 Newark four hours later 2

Update: Breaking News: Newark students blockading Newark Public Schools headquarters

Newark Students Walk Out, Demand Local Control Of Schools

On Wednesday morning students blockaded the Newark Public Schools headquarters, locking down, sitting in and engaging in civil disobedience.

Newark students flood the streets.
Newark students flood the streets. Source: @sito_ goes, pic.twitter.com/kJDm5uzbOt
Newark Student blockade, refuse to leave until their demands are met
Newark Student blockade, refuse to leave until their demands are met. Source: @soit_goes,  pic.twitter.com/kJDm5uzbOt
Newark students blockade the street by lying down and refusing to leave.
Newark students blockade the street by lying down and refusing to leave. Source: @215studentunion, pic.twitter.com/At9nDeHnWD
Newark student walkout Science Park High School
Newark students walkout Science Park High School on Tuesday, September 9, 2014. Source @UnitedNJ, pic.twitter.com/JE90UrfGl2

The Newark Students Union took their demands for full local control of their schools by walking out and protesting on September 9, 2014. The students walked out marching down the street, stopping traffic, in an ongoing battle since the district was put under state control years ago and Governor Christie appointed Cami Anderson as superintendent. 

Newark Students walkout of Central High School
Newark Students walkout of Central High School
Newark student walkout 3 9-9-14
Source: @HuntedHorse, pic.twitter.com/USKG74mScZ

Newark student walkout anti-Christie sign 9-9-14 The students held teach-ins and a rally in Military Park in Newark. Students from Science Park High School, Arts High School and Central High School gathered to participate in courses on the history of student activism, art-making for activists and a workshop on student rights.

Newark student walkout shared lunch with the homeless
Newark student walkout shared lunch with the homeless. Source: @LatinaAnarchist
Newark student walkout know your rights training
Newark student walkout know your rights training
Print making workshop
Print making workshop. Source: @MilitaryParkNWK, pic.twitter.com/LvrBW1NDgi

They took their demands to Superintendent Cami Anderson, Commmissioner David Hespe and Governor Chris Christie.

Chris Christie puppet
Chris Christie puppet
Newark student walkout 2 9-9-14
Source @HuntedHorse, pic.twitter.com/MY2wCfEnp9
Newark student walkout 5 9-9-14
Source: @LatinaAnarchist
Newark student walkout fact sheet 9-9-14
Source: @BadassTeachersA, pic.twitter.com/TKggvtgJCY

“We are building a movement to take back democratic local control of our schools,” Kristin Towkaniuk, president of the Newark Students Union to Eye Witness News. “Our action…will be an escalation demonstrating the community’s unrest over Chris Christie’s efforts to privatize our public schools.”

The students want Cami and ‘One Newark’ privatization plan out of the city.The One Newark plan moved some students to new locations, expanded charter schools and changed leadership. The students view Cami Anderson’s ‘One Newark’ plan as a tactic to dismantle public schools. The students are fighting the corporatizing of their public schools.

The boycott, and the Freedom Schools run by PULSE NJ continue. The actions are part if a two-day walk-out which continues today. The students promised dramatic action today when they take their protest to Newark Public Schools headquarters.The protest comes on the heels of a parent-led boycott during the first two days of the new school year and amid strong criticism of the school district’s failed transportation plan that left countless children stranded on the first day of school. 

Newark Student raised fist pencil protest
Source: @LatinaAnarchist, pic.twitter.com/R8f6xLfI4r
Sign Up To Our Daily Digest

Independent media outlets are being suppressed and dropped by corporations like Google, Facebook and Twitter. Sign up for our daily email digest before it’s too late so you don’t miss the latest movement news.