Black Pastor’s Son Denied School Application

The Face of Segregation in New Jersey - a Call to Action!

Join Pastor Willie D. Francois in reponce to an unjust and ilegal act of denial and exclusion for his and all children of NJ - Wednesday, August 27. We will meet at Fountain Baptist Church, 116 Glenside Ave, Summit, NJ, 07901.

On August 6, 2025, the parent of an African American boy visited one of the most affluent and high-performing school districts in the state to have his child registered. The parent was told “no.”

Go here to join the action.

The student who was denied even an application was the 5-year-old son of the Rev. Dr. Willie D. Francois III, the Senior Pastor of Fountain Baptist Church in Summit, NJ. Rev. Francois works near some of New Jersey’s most affluent towns and the best schools, in which he (and most Black families in New Jersey) cannot afford to live.

His family lives in a district facing the challenges other high-poverty, racially isolated districts across the state face—challenges that are not the fault of the districts and will not be solved until New Jersey's political leaders muster the courage to meaningfully address the illegal segregation of its schools at the state level.

Until then we must demand that the highest-performing, well-resourced, low-poverty, and racially exclusive districts open their doors to children like Willie Francois IV and the many other students who have been illegally condemned by leaders of both parties to high-poverty, low-performing, and racially isolated schools. We will meet next Wednesday, August 27, at 10:00 AM at Fountain Baptist Church to take action in response to this act of denial, disrespect, and exclusion. Sign up here to join Pastor Francois in an action to demand justice, inclusion, and equality of opportunity.

We will meet at Fountain Baptist Church, and then join Pastor Francois as he again attempts to register his son and submits a proposal for them to comply with the New Jersey Constitution and open their schools to students from segregated districts. We will be finished by 12:00 noon.