In an effort to denounce the state Board of Education's decision to grant Cathie Black a waiver to become the next schools chancellor, a group of lawmakers, teachers, and advocates calling itself "The Block the Waiver Coalition" rallied Thursday on the steps of Department of Education Headquarters.

A crowd of 150 people protested her appointment because of her lack of educational credentials.

Black received a wavier allowing her to become chancellor next month, but demonstrators plan to fight the decision in court.

"In the next couple of days we are going to be filing papers challenging the waiver granted to Cathie Black as an abusive process. As arbitrary and capricious, and an abuse of discretion," said Attorney Roger Wareham.

"The core principle of the Bloomberg Administration, when it comes to education, is condescension," said Panel for Educational Policy Member Patrick Sullivan. "The idea that there is one idea of education for their children, and a totally different idea of education for everybody else's. And that has got to stop."

The group says they plan to stage protests every day next week -- one in each of the five boroughs.