Photos: Parents, Teachers 'Take Back the Classroom' at Public Education Rallies Across Long Island

Parents and teachers from nearby communities “took back the classroom” by painting their community red for public education on Thursday.

This event was one of nearly 20 rallies held on Long Island in support of public education.

Protesters displayed signs that said: “More teaching, less testing,” “Just let us teach,” “Have you sent in your back to school refusal letter?”

Rallies were held at the following locations:

• Roslyn: Christopher Morley Park, on Searingtown Road
• Bellmore/Merrick: Merrick Road- back of Lakeside Elementary
• Glen Cove: Intersection of Glen Cove Firehouse/ Glen Cove Avenue
• Glen Head: Intersection of Glen Head Road/ Glen Cove Avenue (Four Corners)
• Locust Valley: Forest Avenue and Weir Lane
• Garden City: The Gallery of Westbury, Old Country Road
• Massapequa: John J. Burns Park, Merrick Road (joined by Plainedge and Farmingdale)
• Amityville: Outside each school at dismissal
• Hicksville: North Broadway (Route 106-107) across from “On the Border” -Broadway Mall
• Lindenhurst: Sunrise Highway in front of Town Hall
• West Babylon: Great South Bay Shopping Center
• Babylon: Babylon Village Hall
• Islip: Islip Town Hall
• Patchogue: Four Corners, Main Street
• Sayville: Five Points Cafe, corner of Railroad and Main
• Smithtown: Flannagan’s office- 260 Middle Country Road
• Coram: Pine Road and Route 112 (Pine Shopping Center)

Both parents and teachers rallied against unfunded mandates, the loss of local democratic control of education and the overuse and abuse of standardized testing.

Images via Allison White.

See below for social media photos from other #Red4PublicEd rallies.