Reflecting a national debate, two planned closures in Newark pit parents, staff and advocates against Christie administration

By John Mooney

Just walk into the tiny front entrance of the Roseville Avenue Elementary School in Newark, and it’s apparent why the school is slated for closure.

Roseville Avenue Elementary School in Newark
Roseville Avenue Elementary School in Newark

Even beyond the fact that the building is 130 years old, there are fewer than 200 students, there is no gym or auditorium, and the cafeteria is barely the size of a small meeting room.

But just walk into Roseville Avenue Elementary School, and talk to teachers and parents, and it also becomes clear why they are fighting back in what has become a growing debate in New Jersey and elsewhere over the closing of urban schools.

The words “caring” and “family” come up a lot at Roseville. So does mistrust of state schools Superintendent Cami Anderson and the governor who appointed her, Chris Christie.

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