With a month to go before classes start, supporters of Lafayette High School turned out Wednesday to defend the school, which is slated for closure.
Supporters attacked efforts to shut Lafayette down and remove supports for students who don't have English as their primary language.
Principal Naomi Cerre has already been notified she has been denied tenure and won't be back.
"If that happens, the message that goes out to everyone: 'You speak out and you do what's right by kids and we're going to get you,'" said BTF President Phil Rumore, who claims the principal is being pushed out for defending and promoting Lafayette.
"We can not let that happen. It's not just Principal Cerre. It's all the other people who will then be afraid to do what she did and speak out against these oppressive people that want to do everybody in."
It's not clear who the new principal will be or which 30 teachers are slated to be pushed out as the school isn't allowed to take in seventh or ninth graders.
During a rally in the school, the supporters were told the Lafayette graduation rate has doubled for this year over last year but the school is still being phased out.
