Students Protest Belleville School Cuts, Principal Blasts Staffing Changes

BELLEVILLE, NJ — Belleville residents have been sounding off about a wave of controversial school budget cuts and job reassignments, including dozens of local students, who recently held a “sit-out” to protest the district’s latest spending plan.

The Belleville Board of Education gave a green light to the 2026-2027 school budget in April.

To help balance the books, the district is planning to eliminate 29 staff positions. Other cuts include eliminating leases and “streamlining” bus routes. The district will maintain all extracurricular and athletic programs, administrators previously said.

Despite the cuts, the budget will also come with a 5.99 percent increase to the tax levy. An average Belleville homeowner with a property assessed at $280,565 will see an increase of $268 to the school portion of their taxes.

View the user-friendly 2026-2027 budget here. View the district’s budget presentation here.

Several people have been speaking out against the cuts, saying they’re worried that the wellness department in the middle school and bilingual education are being “gutted.”

During the school board meeting on May 20, Superintendent Erick Alfonso said there are no plans to eliminate either department entirely, adding that there are only plans to “downsize” them – just like others throughout the district.

Alfonso’s comments didn’t stop a deluge of outrage and criticism from members of the audience, including Michael Mignone, president of the Belleville Education Association.

Mignone said the way the staff reductions were handled was “unprofessional, disrespectful, disgraceful and inhumane.”

“Superintendent, if you were if you were looking to lose the staff's respect, confidence and morale, then job well done,” Mignone quipped.

The school board eventually approved series of staffing reorganizations during the marathon meeting, which lasted for more than five hours. Not all employees are happy about the changes – including some who remain employed in the district.

Belleville High School principal Caleb Rhodes said his transfer to elementary School #8 is “involuntary.”

“I unfortunately been kept in the dark regarding staffing decisions, rehires and whose [reduction in force notices] will stand,” Rhodes told the board. “Members of my staff have had to learn through board agenda release whether they appear on a rehire list … I am disappointed this is how they received such important information this past week. My staff deserves better.”

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BELLEVILLE STUDENTS HOLD ‘SIT-OUT’

Parents in the district aren’t the only ones speaking out against the cuts and job reassignments.

During the May 20 school board meeting, the district’s student government organization president said many students are upset over the spending cuts – including the “downsizing” that is being planned for the wellness department.

“Yesterday at 11 a.m., our student body was prepared to walk out to demonstrate our collective disagreement with the proposed budget cuts,” she said. “Instead, I had the privilege of speaking directly with the superintendent to seek clarity.”

“While that conversation cleared up some information regarding the budget cuts, it does not mean I really agree with them,” she added.

“The administration constantly stresses the importance of attendance – yet these cuts will actively damage it for next year,” she continued. “When you strip away the programs that support students’ well-being, the consequences will show directly in our grades, our mental health and our attendance numbers. You cannot demand high performance while removing the floor to help students up.”

“Look around this room today,” she urged. “Look at the students, the parents, the faculty and the staff who are packing this chamber. If this many people come from every corner of our community have come out to stand together and speak up against these cuts, then you have to realize that something's fundamentally wrong with this plan.”

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Alfonso commented on his meeting with student leaders, calling their concerns and questions “thoughtful.”

“I appreciated their willingness to engage in open and honest dialogue about topics that have generated many questions throughout our community,” the superintendent said.

On the morning of May 22, students at Belleville High School held a “sit-out” protest against the cuts, rallying outside on the football field.

Their efforts got a thumbs-up from Belleville Mayor-elect Frank Vélez, a former school board member.

“I could not be prouder of our youth for exercising their First Amendment rights in a respectful, articulate, and energetic manner,” Vélez said, adding that he is looking forward to working with Alfonso and other school leaders to secure more funding at the state and federal levels.

“These young leaders are not just our future – they are our present, and our community is in awe of their commitment to civic engagement,” Vélez said.

>> RELATED: Belleville School Budget Has Tax Hike, Job Cuts (See Final Numbers)

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