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NEWARK, N.J. (AP) — Some parents of Newark schoolchildren plan to boycott the city school district when classes begin next week.
Johnnie Lattner, an organizer of the boycott, said it would begin Sept. 4 and continue for at least the first five days of classes. He said retired teachers are being recruited to run "Freedom Schools" during the boycott.
The parents are upset about problems that they say have persisted in New Jersey's largest school district since the state took it over nearly 20 years ago. The most recent anger was set off by problems with a new "One Newark" enrollment system, which has families rank their preferences for public or private schools across the city rather than just attending the nearest school.
Offices were understaffed on the first day of enrollment and hundreds of families were turned away. Others have complained that their children will have to attend schools far from home.
Lattner, one of the founders of Parents Unified for Local School Education, said that last week's problems showed flaws with the overall "One Newark" concept, which is being funded out of Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg's $100 million pledge to improve education in the city.
"It's all confusion and we shouldn't have confusion," Lattner said. "The first day of school should be an enjoyable one, not a disaster."
Lattner said his group wants local communities to have more say in needed changes in Newark's schools.
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