Eastside High School Students Protest

April 29th, 2010 | By Joaquin

PATERSON — A protest involving hundreds of students ended about an hour after it began, but not before six students were taken to police headquarters for allegedly damaging property, police said.

About 200 Eastside High School students left the building in an apparent protest of budget cuts about 10 a.m., police said. The protest took place in two waves, the first a peaceful gathering that went back into the school while the second wave appeared larger, said Lt. Richard Reyes.

During the second wave, students began blocking traffic, and the school called the police department, Reyes said. The majority of the students were roaming around the campus, and a large group went into the football field where police closed some gates, penning them in.

Many of the students began climbing the fence, which is about 8 feet tall. Some reported getting scraped up on the way down. Police reopened the gates, but not before about 50 students climbed over.

Some students walking down Rosa Parks Boulevard threw empty trash cans around, at houses and into the street. Students also threw rocks and bricks at vehicles, damaging property, Reyes said.

The police brought six students into the police department’s juvenile division. It is unclear whether they will face charges.

At one point during the protest, Co-principal Zatiti Moody came out of the school and told one group of students to disperse.

“You’ve got two options: either go home or go to jail,” he said. “We appreciate your protest and we appreciate you care for the teachers.”

Those students began walking away when another group began running, sending many students sprinting away. The protest eventually petered out.

Moody said any student who protested was not allowed back in school for the rest of the day because of the potential for another disturbance, but they will be allowed back on Friday. However, any student shown breaking the law on surveillance video around the school will be punished.

“We can’t punish the students for protesting,” Moody said. “But those who tried to incite something more will be dealt with.”

The protest began about 10 a.m. after a text message got around to students, saying there would be protests at three schools, students at the Eastside protest said. It does not appear students at other schools partook.

Some students held signs that read “No budget cuts” while others yelled “Eastside” and chanted “Save our education.” Jensenia Arias, a 10th grader who took part in the protest and was standing outside the school afterward, said word going around the school is that all non-tenured teachers were going to be let go and some athletic programs were going to be cut.

She didn’t know what her fate was going to be.

“I think I’m suspended, but it was worth it,” she said.

Paterson called in the Passaic County Sheriff’s Department to help deal with crowds at the school and to handle 911 calls while city police are at the school.

A “significant” number of sheriff’s patrol cars were called into the city to help with 911 calls, said department spokesman William Maer.

BY MARLENE NAANES AND TARIQ ZEHAWI
— Barbara Boucicaut and Richard Cowen contributed to this report.