Parents say they will boycott Newark schools

NEWARK, N.J. (AP) -- Some parents of Newark schoolchildren say they plan to boycott the city school district when classes begin next week.

Johnnie Lattner, an organizer of the boycott, says it would begin Sept. 4 and continue for at least the first five days of classes. He says retired teachers are being recruited to run "Freedom Schools" during the boycott.

The parents are upset about problems they say have persisted in New Jersey's largest school district since the state took it over nearly 20 years ago.

The most recent anger was set off by problems with a new "One Newark" enrollment system last week that has families rank their preferences for public or private schools across the city rather than just attend the nearest school.

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