Bay Area schools take part in National Day of Action

FREMONT, Calif. (KGO) -- Schools across the Bay Area participated in protests Thursday as part of a National Day of Action.

Students and educators spent the morning holding signs and speaking out in regards to their concerns about President-elect Donald Trump's choice for Education Secretary Betsy DeVos.

"We are worried that she would privatize schools, tax dollars wouldn't go where they need to go and kids would get lost in the shuffle," said Julie Crossman, a teacher at Warwick Elementary School in Fremont.

Testimony during DeVos' confirmation hearings has made critics question her ability to do the job, and many of the parents and teachers in Fremont say they want someone with more public school experience.

"I feel like public education, it's really important for our future. I feel like without experience you don't necessarily know what's going on in the classroom and what the needs are," said Elizabeth Long, a teacher from Fremont.

"The lack of experience in public education and wanting to make every school a charter school," added Teresa Flack, who also teaches in Fremont.

RELATED: Bay Area protests scheduled for inauguration day

On November 10, high school students protested Donald Trump's victory. They expressed their reasons for speaking out back then, saying they were unable to vote and wanted their voices to be heard. Students and teachers say today's demonstrations is their way of reclaiming schools.

RELATED: Crews clean up damage after anti-Trump protests in Oakland

Thursday's demonstrations did not interrupt the school day, most of them were over before classes began. The California Teachers Union organized the demonstrations.

Several teachers unions in Southern California also took part in the National Day of Action.

Click here for the latest stories on the Trump inauguration.