WATCH: Students Organize Massive Walkout Protest in Newark

Students across Newark organized a massive, district-wide walkout at noon on Friday, disrupting the beginning of Memorial Day traffic as hundreds of protesters marched to City Hall.

The protest was spearheaded by NJ Communities United and the Newark Students Union, and involved students from Barringer, Central, Eastside, Shabazz, Technology, Arts, Science, Weequahic, Westside and University schools.

According to NJ Communities United, students are protesting “[NJ Governor Chris] Christie’s control over Newark Public Schools and his ongoing efforts to dismantle and destabilize the largest school district in New Jersey.”

Many protesters shared their feelings using Twitter hashtags such as #NPSwalkout2015 and #ournewark.

Some stated that the protest was in reaction to the recent designation of nine schools in the district as “turnaround schools” in an effort to curb struggling performance.

Newark Mayor Ras Baraka issued a statement about the protest on Friday:

“Today’s protests signify an important fact: our Newark Public School students understand that they are not receiving the education they deserve from the Newark Public School system. That is why they are exercising their First Amendment rights today to protest this situation, demanding that they and the greater community of Newark - residents, parents, teachers, and the administration - be heard and respected by the School District and its superintendent, Cami Anderson.”

Baraka continued:

“The district is in chaos. Schools are being denied supports they are entitled under the state’s No Child Left Behind Waiver. Over the last four years some high schools have a new principal every year, some multiple principals in the same year. Newark has placed special education students in schools that do not have the services specified in their individualized education plans. There is a $35 million dollar budget deficit at the end this academic year and a projected $35 million dollar budget gap for 2015-2016 academic year. As both Newark’s Chief executive and a 22-year educator in the Newark Public Schools, I am appalled at this situation.”

Photo courtesy of Between Pam & Cyn via Twitter

Video courtesy of Nat Bender