MRHS Students Stage Sit-In to Protest Library Budget Cuts

About 40 students filled the school's library on Tuesday but they weren't there to read.

According to a report in the Asbury Park Press, the students were protesting proposed cuts in the library's professional staff.

Organizers appeared before the MRHS Board of Education at its May 17 meeting with a petition with 875 signatures asking the board to reconsider its decision to eliminate one media specialist position and reduce the hours of another.

"Someone had to step up," said sit-in organizer, Jeremy Goldberg, 17.

The board did not take a vote on the matter and will hold its next meeting on June 7 at 7:15 p.m.

Students were allowed to sit in the library for about one hour on Tuesday before school principal Andrew Teeple told them they were to leave or face disciplinary action.

"We wanted to get our point across, but I didn't want these kids to start getting detentions," said Goldberg, who is a senior at the high school, of the protesters' decision to comply with school officials.

According to the report, MRHS Business Administrator Maria Parry said she was unable to discuss personnel matters and declined to comment on the sit-in.