X.-1 20-1335 Adoption by the Board of Education of Resolution No. 1920-0260 - George Floyd Resolution to Eliminate the Oakland Schools Police Department
I live in Oakland and grew up in the East Bay in a public high school that had a heavy police presence. This resolution is long overdue. Police have no place in schools. I fully support BOP's demand to eliminate the school police department. Today, as school districts across the country are cutting their ties with police so that students of color can actually have a fair chance at having an education, the OSUD School Board has the opportunity to do the right thing. I ask the OUSD School Board to be a leader and vote yes for this resolution on June 24.
I write to you as an Oakland resident. I have learned about this long time effort by the Black Organizing Project and attended their press conference by video today to learn more about this resolution. I learned about the killing of Raheim Brown, and the ongoing trauma caused by the criminalization of students. The sentiment was powerful, clear, and encouraging: that for the health, safety, and welfare of Oakland's children and their families, we need to remove the Oakland Police Department from their schools. These children and families need resources, and they need the money for these resources. Please use the money that you already have access to in a way that can better serve these children and their families -- guidance counselors, libraries, lunches, after school programs, educational materials and technology, it's really an endless list of non-violent necessities. Thank you.
I think funds are much better used redirected from police presence in schools to other resources that actually help students!
Deleted User
over 4 years ago
Hi I am a Garden Teacher and I am here to express my support of the George Floyd Resolution to remove Oakland Schools Police from OUSD. In order to truly support our students we must remove forces which take away student's lives and futures. Use the funds for counselors and teachers and social workers.
I am writing to express my strong support of the Resolution to Eliminate the OPD I know all of you, including Board Members who have not yet expressed public approval of the plan, are strong and vocal advocates for racial and social justice. So I asked myself, what is keeping you from supporting a this resolution?
I'm sure there are many, complex reasons, and they differ for each of you.
I think one of them is that as far as police departments go, the OUSD department is a pretty good one. Chief Godown has been an excellent leader, and he and many of his officers exemplify the kind of community policing that is so rare to find. I what to thank and appreciate Chief Godown and officers I have interacted with personally such as Officer Hom, Officer Lam, and Officer DeLuna for their dedication and service. This is not about you. This is about redirecting funding to student services.
We can no longer be the only district in Alameda county to fund its own police department.
Hello. My name is Brooke Bradley. I'm writing in support of the Resolution No. 1920-0260 - George Floyd Resolution to Eliminate the Oakland Schools Police Department. As Court Appointed Special Advocate for foster youth in Oakland public schools, It is of utmost importance to remove police officers from schools as a step to dismantling the school to prison pipeline. Defunding OSPD provides the opportunity to reallocate funds to high quality and individualized mental health and counseling services.
Good evening Board. My name is Alida Garcia, I’m a District 2 resident and a mother of 1 year old twins, Malcolm & Adelita who are hopefully future attendees of police-free schools. I am writing in support of the George Floyd Resolution. I’d like to thank the Black Organizing Project for their vision & clarity for a Black sanctuary & their readiness to hold Oakland in this moment of national uprising to defend Black life. When schools are safe positive sanctuaries for all Black students, they will be safe positive sanctuaries for all students.
What a tremendous, generous, and beautiful gift the Black Organizing Project has provided for each Director in this moment to step up and demonstrate leadership. Use your power for this critical intervention at a critical time. If not now, while thousands of Oakland children are courageously using their voices to build a better world, then when?
As an OUSD alum, the daughter of a 25+ year OUSD teacher, and parent of two current OUSD students, I strongly urge you to support this resolution. Police do not make our school communities safer but instead contribute to a climate of fear, distrust and punishment. We need to divest in police and reinvest in staffing and programs proven to make our students healthier and safer: more nurses, counselors, smaller classes, and expanding the restorative justice program. Our students deserve to be surrounded by caring, trusted adults whose number one priority is to support them.
I am an Oakland resident and former teacher and I strongly support this resolution. Police have no place in schools. Funds should be redirected toward mental health, wellness, special education, and other supports needed by students and teachers.
Hi my name is Chelsea Mangold. I'm writing in support of the Resolution No. 1920-0260 - George Floyd Resolution to Eliminate the Oakland Schools Police Department. I especially call upon Gary Yee, James Harris, Jody London, and Jumoke-Hinton Hodge to take this opportunity to finally demonstrate your meaningful support for the lives, ability to thrive and real well-being and safety of 36,000+ Oakland students. You have more than sufficient evidence to support this decision; we can remove ALL police from OUSD in 2020. Black Organizing Project's People's Plan for Police Free Schools has done years of research and coalition building to outline this plan. This Board of Education will only face continued and mounting public pressure to follow BOPs community-driven implementation plan to achieve police-free schools now by instead investing in actual support staff and student resources.
http://blackorganizingproject.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/11/The-Peoples-Plan-2019-Online-Reduced-Size.pdf
When people of color are already more likely to face discrimination within the school system, as well as at the hands of the police, combining the two seems absurd. Not to mention the strong message this sends to our children; that the only true way to ensure safety is through threat of force. The police have proven themselves incapable of doing their duty with equity or compassion. We do not need them in our schools.
I grew up in the Bay Area and live in Oakland. I hope to send my future children to OUSD. I strongly support the George Floyd Resolution to Eliminate the Oakland Schools Police Department. I believe in a school system that implements restorative justice practices led by trained counselors to address issues currently dealt with by police. Funds and focus should go towards teachers and the tools they need, mental health awareness and counseling, healthy food, arts programs and services that offer a holistic approach to supporting our youth and the issues they deal with - not policing them. Thank you for your yes vote on this resolution.
This resolution is long overdue! OPD’s presence in our schools is traumatic, unnecessary, and extremely damaging to children of color and children with disabilities. These funds should be reinvested in restorative justice programs, counseling services, food, and medical access.
I am a resident of Oakland, a son of teachers, a law student at UC-Berkeley, and house-mate of two local teachers. I strongly support this measure, as studies have well documented that police don't keep our children safe. Not only do they represent a structure of white supremacy in our schools, but normalize violence, weapons in schools, and are much more likely to punish black children than any other. There have been too many incidents of violence in our Oakland schools and outside them at the hands of the OPD for our kids, especially black children, to be safe in the schools. The money spent on OPD can instead be used to provide further resources to enhance learning in the schools. Please take leadership on this issue and listen to the rest of nation and join me in supporting this measure. Best, Liam McSweeney
As both and OUSD teacher and an OUSD parent, I support this resolution. OUSD schools should be police free. In a time of devastating budget cuts, please use resources on things that benefit our children, not police who uphold a system of racism and oppression and do serious harm to our communities.
As a lifelong Oakland resident, I strongly support the George Floyd Resolution to Eliminate the Oakland Schools Police Department. There is no benefit to having a police presence in schools and it is time to have them removed. Instead, they should be replaced with mental health counselors, support services, social workers, etc. Please pass this resolution. Thank you.
As a parent of two school aged children, I fully support this. Police have no place in schools! Funding for more resources and support members such as aides, social workers, nursers, mental health educators and counselors and more teachers are what is necessary to keep our kids safe and support our children and the teachers and staff at schools. We must reinvest in the community and services that our students need.
I live in Oakland and grew up in the East Bay in a public high school that had a heavy police presence. This resolution is long overdue. Police have no place in schools. I fully support BOP's demand to eliminate the school police department. Today, as school districts across the country are cutting their ties with police so that students of color can actually have a fair chance at having an education, the OSUD School Board has the opportunity to do the right thing. I ask the OUSD School Board to be a leader and vote yes for this resolution on June 24.
Strongly support. This is overdue. Our students need services, support, and care - not the threat of violence by police.
I write to you as an Oakland resident. I have learned about this long time effort by the Black Organizing Project and attended their press conference by video today to learn more about this resolution. I learned about the killing of Raheim Brown, and the ongoing trauma caused by the criminalization of students. The sentiment was powerful, clear, and encouraging: that for the health, safety, and welfare of Oakland's children and their families, we need to remove the Oakland Police Department from their schools. These children and families need resources, and they need the money for these resources. Please use the money that you already have access to in a way that can better serve these children and their families -- guidance counselors, libraries, lunches, after school programs, educational materials and technology, it's really an endless list of non-violent necessities. Thank you.
I think funds are much better used redirected from police presence in schools to other resources that actually help students!
Hi I am a Garden Teacher and I am here to express my support of the George Floyd Resolution to remove Oakland Schools Police from OUSD. In order to truly support our students we must remove forces which take away student's lives and futures. Use the funds for counselors and teachers and social workers.
I am writing to express my strong support of the Resolution to Eliminate the OPD I know all of you, including Board Members who have not yet expressed public approval of the plan, are strong and vocal advocates for racial and social justice. So I asked myself, what is keeping you from supporting a this resolution?
I'm sure there are many, complex reasons, and they differ for each of you.
I think one of them is that as far as police departments go, the OUSD department is a pretty good one. Chief Godown has been an excellent leader, and he and many of his officers exemplify the kind of community policing that is so rare to find. I what to thank and appreciate Chief Godown and officers I have interacted with personally such as Officer Hom, Officer Lam, and Officer DeLuna for their dedication and service. This is not about you. This is about redirecting funding to student services.
We can no longer be the only district in Alameda county to fund its own police department.
Hello. My name is Brooke Bradley. I'm writing in support of the Resolution No. 1920-0260 - George Floyd Resolution to Eliminate the Oakland Schools Police Department. As Court Appointed Special Advocate for foster youth in Oakland public schools, It is of utmost importance to remove police officers from schools as a step to dismantling the school to prison pipeline. Defunding OSPD provides the opportunity to reallocate funds to high quality and individualized mental health and counseling services.
As a parent and a teacher in OUSD I ask you to support this resolution. My students and children need support, not police in their schools. Thank you.
Good evening Board. My name is Alida Garcia, I’m a District 2 resident and a mother of 1 year old twins, Malcolm & Adelita who are hopefully future attendees of police-free schools. I am writing in support of the George Floyd Resolution. I’d like to thank the Black Organizing Project for their vision & clarity for a Black sanctuary & their readiness to hold Oakland in this moment of national uprising to defend Black life. When schools are safe positive sanctuaries for all Black students, they will be safe positive sanctuaries for all students.
What a tremendous, generous, and beautiful gift the Black Organizing Project has provided for each Director in this moment to step up and demonstrate leadership. Use your power for this critical intervention at a critical time. If not now, while thousands of Oakland children are courageously using their voices to build a better world, then when?
Support the resolution.
Thank you.
As an OUSD alum, the daughter of a 25+ year OUSD teacher, and parent of two current OUSD students, I strongly urge you to support this resolution. Police do not make our school communities safer but instead contribute to a climate of fear, distrust and punishment. We need to divest in police and reinvest in staffing and programs proven to make our students healthier and safer: more nurses, counselors, smaller classes, and expanding the restorative justice program. Our students deserve to be surrounded by caring, trusted adults whose number one priority is to support them.
Please get the police out of schools. There are so many other areas that need funding and could benefit kids far more than aggressive racist cops.
I am an Oakland resident and former teacher and I strongly support this resolution. Police have no place in schools. Funds should be redirected toward mental health, wellness, special education, and other supports needed by students and teachers.
Hi my name is Chelsea Mangold. I'm writing in support of the Resolution No. 1920-0260 - George Floyd Resolution to Eliminate the Oakland Schools Police Department. I especially call upon Gary Yee, James Harris, Jody London, and Jumoke-Hinton Hodge to take this opportunity to finally demonstrate your meaningful support for the lives, ability to thrive and real well-being and safety of 36,000+ Oakland students. You have more than sufficient evidence to support this decision; we can remove ALL police from OUSD in 2020. Black Organizing Project's People's Plan for Police Free Schools has done years of research and coalition building to outline this plan. This Board of Education will only face continued and mounting public pressure to follow BOPs community-driven implementation plan to achieve police-free schools now by instead investing in actual support staff and student resources.
http://blackorganizingproject.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/11/The-Peoples-Plan-2019-Online-Reduced-Size.pdf
When people of color are already more likely to face discrimination within the school system, as well as at the hands of the police, combining the two seems absurd. Not to mention the strong message this sends to our children; that the only true way to ensure safety is through threat of force. The police have proven themselves incapable of doing their duty with equity or compassion. We do not need them in our schools.
I grew up in the Bay Area and live in Oakland. I hope to send my future children to OUSD. I strongly support the George Floyd Resolution to Eliminate the Oakland Schools Police Department. I believe in a school system that implements restorative justice practices led by trained counselors to address issues currently dealt with by police. Funds and focus should go towards teachers and the tools they need, mental health awareness and counseling, healthy food, arts programs and services that offer a holistic approach to supporting our youth and the issues they deal with - not policing them. Thank you for your yes vote on this resolution.
This resolution is long overdue! OPD’s presence in our schools is traumatic, unnecessary, and extremely damaging to children of color and children with disabilities. These funds should be reinvested in restorative justice programs, counseling services, food, and medical access.
I am a resident of Oakland, a son of teachers, a law student at UC-Berkeley, and house-mate of two local teachers. I strongly support this measure, as studies have well documented that police don't keep our children safe. Not only do they represent a structure of white supremacy in our schools, but normalize violence, weapons in schools, and are much more likely to punish black children than any other. There have been too many incidents of violence in our Oakland schools and outside them at the hands of the OPD for our kids, especially black children, to be safe in the schools. The money spent on OPD can instead be used to provide further resources to enhance learning in the schools. Please take leadership on this issue and listen to the rest of nation and join me in supporting this measure. Best, Liam McSweeney
As both and OUSD teacher and an OUSD parent, I support this resolution. OUSD schools should be police free. In a time of devastating budget cuts, please use resources on things that benefit our children, not police who uphold a system of racism and oppression and do serious harm to our communities.
As a lifelong Oakland resident, I strongly support the George Floyd Resolution to Eliminate the Oakland Schools Police Department. There is no benefit to having a police presence in schools and it is time to have them removed. Instead, they should be replaced with mental health counselors, support services, social workers, etc. Please pass this resolution. Thank you.
As a parent of two school aged children, I fully support this. Police have no place in schools! Funding for more resources and support members such as aides, social workers, nursers, mental health educators and counselors and more teachers are what is necessary to keep our kids safe and support our children and the teachers and staff at schools. We must reinvest in the community and services that our students need.