More than 500 students from Herbert H. Lehman High School flooded Westchester Avenue Tuesday morning to protest the Department of Education's (DOE) proposal to close the school this September.

Senior Geremia Costa, who helped organize the rally, said the DOE is wrong to blame the teachers for the school's low performance. At the rally, students gathered outside the DOE, demanding the school be given a chance to stay open and turn things around. They also praised their teachers and the school's new principal.

The city's school chancellor issued a statement concerning the rally.

"We understand the passionate feelings these issues evoke on all sides, but these proposals represent an opportunity to provide our families with new, high quality schools that will do better by students, and ultimately that has to be our priority," the statement said.

A vote on the possible closure is expected in the next two months.