NEW YORK CITY — Brooklyn Friends teachers gave their students a hands-on, outdoor social justice lesson Friday morning when they rallied in the streets to accuse the progressive, Quaker school of union busting. 

“This is amazing,” lower school teacher Sarah Gordon said, looking out at the crowd of parents, teachers, students who came to support her cause.

“It just drives home the point that we’re in the right.” 

Gordon’s cause is that of her fellow BFS teachers, staff and members of a union being challenged by head of school Crissy Cáceres, whose argument for disbanding it relies on precedent set by President Donald Trump appointees. 

“I find it revolting that they would call on a Trump administration law to disenfranchise workers,” said Quaker Corinna Snyder. “Trump doesn’t stand for Quaker values.”

It a petition to the National Labor Relation Board, BFS's attorney kirsten B. White argued a previous ruling on religious institutions invalidated the teachers' union. 

"The NLRB does not have jurisdiction over BFS employees," the petition reads. "The Region should revoke the Union's certification to represent the bargaining unit."

The BFS Board of Trustees and school leadership's decision to challenge the union is rooted in the school's Quaker values, spokesperson Dan Altano said in a written statement. 

"It was only after many days of collective and individual seeking and care that we came to unity on this decision," Altano said, "with integrity and with the utmost respect and appreciation for our students, families, and colleagues."

Yet the school has been loath to explain its actions to BFS parents, who received a similar written statement from the administration but have not yet had their questions answered, according to Chris Roddick. 

“We’ve made a lot of sacrifices to send [our son] here,” Roddick said. “They owe us a dialogue, not just an email.”

Cáceres’s petition frustrated teachers such as Jesse Phillips-Fein, who said she’s seen dozen of her colleagues lose their jobs under the current administration. 

Sue Aaronson, a foreign language teacher, supports a union because she believes it's the best way to prevent frequent turnover of leadership — among them a head of school who resigned amid allegations he’d mispent $1.3 million in school funds — she’s seen over her 39 years as an educator. 

“Brooklyn Friends School is home,” Aaronson said. “A union process would make it equitable and consistent.” 

More than 80 percent of BFS’ 200 staff members voted to join UAW Local in 2019 and have since been negotiating contracts, but communication has dropped off since the petition was filed, according to Gordon. 

“They’re trying to other us,” Gordon said. “But we have a lot of support.” 

Supporters include Brooklyn Borough President Eric Adams who, when addressing the protesters Friday morning, relied on the name most likely to spark ire among the crowd. 

“This is clearly a Donald Trump play,” Adams said. “This school was trying to destroy the union behind our backs."

Poet and political activist Staceyann Chin, also the mother BFS student Zumi, delivered an impassioned plea that Cáceres reconsider her petition. 

“I am deeply disgusted in this moment,” Chin said. 

“We are the people holding you feet to the fire, Crissy,” Chin added. “Do the right thing, we will have your back.” 

George Atkin, 14, a rising freshman who plays three musical instruments, supports the union because orchestra and jazz band were cut and many of his teachers lost their jobs. 

“It’s really worrying about the future of the school,” he said. 

Susan Homer, his mom, said George turned down La Guardia High School to receive a Quaker education, a decision she now questions.

“I’m terribly distressed,” Homer said, “They’re not behaving in a Quakerly way.”