By Mike DeNardo

PHILADELPHIA (CBS) — Students at Carroll High School, in the city’s Port Richmond neighborhood, formed a human chain today across the front of their building, to protest the district’s plan to permanently close their school and 28 others (see related story).

Chanting “Save our schools,” several dozen students at Carroll High held hands at the school’s entrance to form a visual show of unity.

Freshman Corday Brown is among those who want Carroll off the closure list.

“If you close Carroll, you’re depriving students of an education,” he said this morning.  “And education is a right.”

And sophomore James Hartigan says he feels bonded to his school.

“I have best friends and people that always have my back.  If this school closes down, I don’t know what I’m going to do,” he said.

City councilman Mark Squilla (below, with bullhorn) joined the protest, acknowledging that time is short.

(Mark Squilla, left, speaks to protesters outside Carroll High School. Credit: Mike DeNardo)

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“I think at this time it’s an uphill battle,” Squilla told KYW Newsradio this morning.  “I believe that the only way to do that is really convince the SRC that maybe they’re making a mistake.”

The School Reform Commission votes on the closure plan next Thursday.