Students in Newark, New jersey, have had enough of the education “reform” agenda, so tomorrow (Tuesday, April 9) at noon they have planned a district-wide walk out. Students will meet at noon and march to Rutgers Law School, where a State Assembly Budget Hearing on Education will be taking place.

I’ve spoken to several students and who are participating in the action, which they organized all on their own (they are brilliant and inspiring kids).

Newark is just one of the many U.S. cities where students of color are bearing the brunt of education privatization. It makes sense that education “reformers” would target poor neighborhoods of color in their quest for profit. After all, if the white schools in suburban America were facing such an attack, the nation would never stand for it.

Education “reformers” have and continue to depend on the racial indifference of Americans to push through their discriminatory policies with little pushback. But these students aren’t going to take it anymore. I only hope they can serve as a model for other disenfranchised school children around the nation.

I will be reporting on tomorrow’s walkout for Truthout as well as Dispatches from the Underclass, so more details to come.