Central Falls, Rhode Island is the smallest city in the smallest state in the U.S.  Central Falls is also the poorest and the most densely populated city in Rhode Island, which has the third highest unemployment rate in the nation.  As of the 2000 Census, fifty percent of Central Falls’ residents identify as Latino or Hispanic.   Lately, this small, poor, community with the highest percentage of Latino residents anywhere in the state has been ground zero for economic justice struggles in Rhode Island.

In February, 2010, the Central Falls became the center of the national debate around school reform when the school district fired every teacher and all administrative staff in the district.  The state was instituting a plan endorsed by U.S. Education Secretary Arne Duncan, who applauded the decision to fire the teachers. 93 individuals were fired including teachers, counselors, physical education teachers, assistant principals, the school psychologist, reading specialists, and the principal.  Under the turnaround model, no more than 50% of faculty and staff could be rehired. George Nee, president of the Rhode Island AFL-CIO called the firings “immoral, illegal, unjust, irresponsible, disgraceful and disrespectful.”  Mark Bostic of the National American Federation of Teachers stated

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