Two local high schools erupted in protests Friday morning over the same issue - failing grades.

The failing grades, however, belonged to Canarsie High School and Acorn High School, not the students. Both schools were given grades of ?F? by the Department of Education. The protests were the last efforts of parents and students to save their schools.

Students at Canarsie said they were told their school would be closed down by 2011, and any incoming freshmen would be redirected to a smaller school campus. Students at Acorn said they want the school principal, Joe Parker, to leave. They say Parker is mismanaging their education and that they haven?t seen any schoolbooks since the start of the school year.

Both students and parents think the DOE is on the right track to hold schools responsible for their performances, but they worry about what it will cost them. They said their future is in the hands of the DOE and they would like to have some input on the decisions being made.

Acorn High School is not affiliated with the Acorn Housing Agency, but the agency did help commission a study on Parker and the school?s poor performance.