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Parents and students were joined by elected officials to call on the Department of Education to prevent the possible closure of M.S. 571 in Prospect Heights.

They are also not in favor of the planned addition of charter schools to share space with two other schools nearby.

Community members dispute the Department of Education's view that the school lacks the capacity to turn the ship around:

"We need to let the DOE know this is unacceptable, and that the corporate model does not work. It's failed our economy, and it will not work for our school," said a parent.

"These are their schools, and they want to have a role in the decisions that are made on the schools, and not for the mayor to treat them like a chain store 7-Eleven, where they can just merge them together," said Brooklyn Senator Eric Adams. "These are real lives, real people, and real children."

"Opening and closing schools is a failed policy. It does not represent reform. It does not represent change. It represents dictatorship," said Brooklyn Councilwoman Letitia James. "Work with the community, work with the elected officials and bring about change in a manner which again empowers people and empowers parents."

The proposal to close this and more than 20 other under performing schools will be considered later this week by the Panel for Educational Policy.