Students Walk Out Over School Staff Cuts

Belleville High School students walked out on Friday, May 22, to protest staff cuts approved as part of the district’s 2026-27 budget. About 100 students gathered on the football field and chanted “one community, one voice,” according to News 12 New Jersey. The protest followed a Belleville Board of Education decision to lay off 29 staffers and reassign additional employees, including Belleville High Principal Caleb Rhodes. District officials have said the cuts are part of an effort to close a budget gap. ### How large were the cuts that triggered the walkout? The Belleville Board of Education approved the 2026-27 budget at its April 29 meeting, according to Belleville Public Schools and Patch. Patch reported that the spending plan includes a “wave of staff cuts,” while News 12 said students were protesting 29 layoffs approved by the board. District administrators also said some employees would be transferred to other schools. A $3 million deficit was cited by News 12 as the immediate reason for the layoffs. Superintendent Erick Alfonso has said the staffing reductions were based on fiscal responsibility rather than individual job performance, News 12 reported. The same report said the district is receiving $1 million less in state aid. (patch.com) ### Why were students focused on Principal Caleb Rhodes and wellness staff? Caleb Rhodes, the principal of Belleville High School, was among the staff members students said would be transferred under the plan. News 12 quoted student Tawfik Abubaker saying students did not want the change and that Rhodes had spoken before the board. Abubaker said, “our cries were left unanswered,” according to the report. (newjersey.news12.com) Mental health services were another focus of the protest. Student Israa Alshalabi told News 12 that reductions affecting the health and wellness center would hurt students who rely on the school for help with family problems, housing insecurity and food access. Her comments tied the staffing fight to services students said they use beyond the classroom. (newjersey.news12.com) ### What did the budget itself change for Belleville taxpayers? The 2026-27 budget carries a 5.99% increase to the school tax levy, Patch reported. For a Belleville home assessed at $280,565, that translates to an increase of $268 in the school portion of the property tax bill, according to Patch’s summary of district figures. Belleville administrators said the district is operating $13.3 million below the state’s “adequacy” level, Patch reported from the April 29 presentation by Alfonso and business administrator Tina Iaccheo. (newjersey.news12.com) Patch also reported that the district planned to keep extracurricular and athletic programs in place despite the staffing reductions. (patch.com) ### What have district officials said publicly? Erick Alfonso and Tina Iaccheo presented the 2026-27 budget on April 29, according to Belleville Public Schools and Patch. The district posted the public budget presentation on its website, and BoardDocs lists Alfonso as superintendent and Iaccheo as business administrator and board secretary. News 12 reported that Alfonso described the staff reduction as a fiscal measure, not a reflection of employee performance. (patch.com) Patch’s reporting on the adopted budget also framed the staffing cuts as part of a broader response to rising costs, including benefits, energy, insurance and special education or charter tuition. (bellevilleschools.org) ### When can residents press the board again? Belleville Public Schools lists the next Board of Education meeting for June 10, 2026, at 7 p.m. on the district calendar. That meeting is the next scheduled public forum where students, parents and employees can seek details on the layoffs, transfers and implementation timeline. (bellevilleschools.org) (newjersey.news12.com)