Newark high school students use Facebook to promote protest of school conditions, cleanliness

Newark high school students protest conditions

NEWARK, N.J. — Two weeks after Newark schools received a $100 million donation from the founder of Facebook, students in one high school there used the social networking site to stage a protest.

On Thursday, students at Barringer High School in Newark walked out of class in protest, saying their school is unsafe and unsanitary.

Students tell The Star-Ledger of Newark there are rats, mice, cockroaches, spiders, guns and fights in the hallways.

During the afternoon protest, students left the building in waves of 10 or 20, but some said security guards blocked doors to prevent anyone from going outside.

Students spread the word of the protest on Facebook.

Newark schools spokeswoman Valerie Merritt says the district has encountered insect and rodent problems over the years, but regularly exterminates and conducts daily and weekly cleanings.

Information from: The Star-Ledger, www.nj.com/starledger