They received growing support to have their voices' heard during Tuesday night's school board meeting.
The students say this is a fight for their future. They oppose the One Newark plan, which includes more charter schools and closing under-performing public schools. The kids want a better option.
"This is not a business," student Hector Maldonade said. "This is our education and our future, and we're fighting for it."
The sit-in began Tuesday night after students were kept out of the Newark Board of Education meeting, which was quickly adjourned when the kids eventually moved to the front of the room.
The students demanded the removal of state-appointed schools superintendent Cami Anderson and more local control. Anderson says she is willing to meet with the students for a civil conversation.
The board prevented many from even seeing the inside of the room, with police keeping some students from getting in to what was supposed to be a public meeting.
"I'd have to say that my civil rights are being infringed upon," student Tiffany Fotopoulos said. "Democracy is not real in this city."
So it was little wonder that when the school board president tried to talk, he was drowned out by chants of, "Shame, shame, shame."
While the protesters held their ground, the board's policy was to attempt to starve them out, refusing to allow food to get to the students they are supposed to serve.
"We need to get DYFS involved, because they want to starve the kids, starve them out," former school board official Marquis Lewis said.
Mayor-elect Ras Baraka says he feels the superintendent has created a lot of division between parents students, and city leaders.
The entire community is still asking questions about the 100-million dollars Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg gave to Newark to improve education. Reports suggest one fifth of the money went to pay consultants, but residents want to know where the rest has gone.