As the parent of two Hillcrest Middle School students, I beg of you to reconsider the closure plan. These 6th-8th grade students have been with the SAME cohort of classmates since kindergarten; our 7th graders have yet one more year to complete. It is beyond-maddening to think that they would not graduate together and that the district would consider reassigning them without enough notice to consider options. To close the school after two years of virtual/hybrid learning and Covid workarounds is unfair and unnecessary; for some, it will be traumatizing. Hillcrest works because our village of parents invests time and energy to support this school and each other. Echoing concerned parents, the compressed timeline, the flawed rationale, and the decision to do this at an unprecedented moment in our children’s lives is unconscionable.
I am in opposition to the closures of our schools. Our Students, parents, staff and faculty are readjusting to in-person instruction. Potential mergers and closures will interrupt and expand learning loss in our communities. This is so disheartening to hear. I grew up in Oakland, went to school in Oakland, still live in Oakland and teach in Oakland. There is a better way. Think out the box.
I am one of many OUSD parents supporting the Reparations for Black Students Campaign. OUSD has a history of targeting majority Black schools for closure. Over the last two decades OUSD has closed 16 schools, yet these closures did little to improve the achievement gap of marginalized students. OUSD has seen a massive enrollment decline in Black Students and has done nothing to rectify anti-Black racist policies and structures. This district's failure to adequately resource schools will not be resolved by school closures. Protect majority black schools , conduct the racial equity impact analysis this district conveniently exempted itself from. Stop trying to balance the budget on the backs of Black students!
This is a disgraceful and disgusting move in the middle of a pandemic and based on the list of targeted schools this also seems to be directly aimed at disenfranchised and minority populations.
As a East Bay native, public-school- educated and Cal grad, I strongly oppose closing any of our public schools down. Historically, these closures have been shown to save few dollars, and that too, only in the short run. Especially with the way the District has mismanaged taxpayer dollars, including excessive management payouts, and with the excess of $240M in Covid relief funds OUSD is receiving, cuts here are gravely misplaced. Any minimal present day saving is far eclipsed by the long-term education deficit and loss in community, exercise (walking to school), and family participation. With the incredible loss of learning over the last two years, and the multitude of school closures already, it’s outrageous that padlocking more schools is even up for consideration!
It’s time to stand up for our kids who are still very much struggling to regain mental footing and academic traction after the pandemic school closures. Permanently closing schools is most certainly not the answer!
How can The Board talk about advocating for students and are now talking about taking away their safety zones? Closing schools will put our students and families at dire risk. Also, stop destroying West Oakland education, which is our oldest African-American community. Equity and Equality!
I'm strongly opposed to school closures in Oakland OUSD during an ongoing pandemic when communities, specifically those of color. I am a parent of two elementary children (soon to be middle school) in District 1 and am strongly opposed to the closure of all schools in OUSD until the students, teachers and community have had the ability to reset and recover from this pandemic.
If you close OUSD schools you will continue to see a decrease in enrollment. Personally I will feel motivated to relocate outside of OUSD on behalf of my children's educations.
We are all SICK and TIRED of repeating ourselves into this echo chamber. We do not want school closures, never have, and never will. This is a direct attack on historically Black schools and neighborhoods. The board members who continue to vote in favor of balancing the budget on the backs of Black families seem determined to run OUSD down to the ground while the teachers, staff, students, and families fight from the inside to preserve our communities. We are tired of the same topics being brought up for years and years, and we know that school closures does not save money.
I am a white parent at a very well-resourced school in the hills. We do not have to worry about our schools in the hills closing. We don't have to think about what would happen if our schools closed...about how important they are to our community and to the well-being and safety of our children. And yet, many schools in OUSD are up for closure that serve predominately black and brown children and their families. Where will these families go if OUSD shuts down these amazing school centers -- that have served these families for generations and have provided many needed services besides school? Why isn't OUSD focusing its energy on improving these schools? More resources, smaller classes, better teacher training and retention, and other services that meet the needs of our Oakland children. This is such a huge equity issue and I just can't believe that OUSD hasn't learned from the pandemic, minimally, how critical it is to have community, improve our schools, and not shut them down.
I'm opposed to the proposed closure of 12 OUSD schools. Closing schools will not fix OUSD's problem of declining enrollment. Families are choosing other school options because of the instability of the district and enrollment will decline even more if OUSD continues its pattern of closing schools. Schools are more than just a data set of teacher salaries, class size, and student performance. As a Oakland native and mom of a 1st and 3rd grader at Hillcrest it is clear to me that schools are the keystone of any neighborhood-- providing an environment where students can grow academically, create community, and support both students and family socio-emotionally. Closing schools at this point in the pandemic will created an enormous amount of stress and an unnecessary burden on families that are already overwhelmed. Please focus on lifting up your families- look at what OUSD schools are doing well (not just a dataset) and provide resources to help create more strong functioning schools.
I am writing to support the Reparations for Black Students campaign and to oppose school closures. After the upheaval of the last 2 years, it is particularly irresponsible to suggest these huge changes for students and families on such short notice.
I am one of many supporters of the Reparations for Black Students Campaign. OUSD has a history of targeting majority Black schools for closure. Over the last two decades, OUSD has closed 16 schools, yet these closures did little to improve the achievement gap of marginalized students. OUSD has seen a massive enrollment decline in Black Students and has done nothing to rectify anti-Black racist policies and structures. This district's failure to adequately resource schools will not be resolved by school closures. Protect majority-black schools , conduct the racial equity impact analysis this district conveniently exempted itself from. Stop trying to balance the budget on the backs of Black students!
I am one of many supporters of the Reparations for Black Students Campaign. OUSD has a history of targeting majority Black schools for closure, yet has done little to improve the achievement gap of marginalized students. OUSD has done nothing to rectify anti-Black racist policies and structures. This district's failure to adequately resource schools will not be resolved by school closures. Protect majority-black schools, conduct the racial equity impact analysis this district has exempted itself from.
Students at some of the schools you’re targeting have experienced upheavals such as becoming refugees. They have built a sense of safety at school that will be wrenched away with school closure. If you need to close schools, close the well-resourced ones whose families have more stability and resources to weather instability. Sound politically hard? Extend families in under-resourced communities the same respect and consideration. Even if they can’t fight you as hard, they care as much.
I am opposed to school closures. I am very concerned regarding the extremely short timeline given for community feedback. It is a blatant an obvious attempt to discourage dissent and discourse. I disheartened
It is absurd to announce these closures and to vote on them in such a short period with so little community engagement and so little time to plan to support students and staff at these schools. Please reject this irresponsible plan and stop the merger of TCN with ICS.
We need schools in these area cause it’s all ready a lot of traffic and it’s just going to make more. In the Brookfield and Sobrante park area
As the parent of two Hillcrest Middle School students, I beg of you to reconsider the closure plan. These 6th-8th grade students have been with the SAME cohort of classmates since kindergarten; our 7th graders have yet one more year to complete. It is beyond-maddening to think that they would not graduate together and that the district would consider reassigning them without enough notice to consider options. To close the school after two years of virtual/hybrid learning and Covid workarounds is unfair and unnecessary; for some, it will be traumatizing. Hillcrest works because our village of parents invests time and energy to support this school and each other. Echoing concerned parents, the compressed timeline, the flawed rationale, and the decision to do this at an unprecedented moment in our children’s lives is unconscionable.
I am in opposition to the closures of our schools. Our Students, parents, staff and faculty are readjusting to in-person instruction. Potential mergers and closures will interrupt and expand learning loss in our communities. This is so disheartening to hear. I grew up in Oakland, went to school in Oakland, still live in Oakland and teach in Oakland. There is a better way. Think out the box.
Opposed. History has proven over and over again that closing schools fixes nothing. Closing schools during a pandemic is cruel and irresponsible.
I am one of many OUSD parents supporting the Reparations for Black Students Campaign. OUSD has a history of targeting majority Black schools for closure. Over the last two decades OUSD has closed 16 schools, yet these closures did little to improve the achievement gap of marginalized students. OUSD has seen a massive enrollment decline in Black Students and has done nothing to rectify anti-Black racist policies and structures. This district's failure to adequately resource schools will not be resolved by school closures. Protect majority black schools , conduct the racial equity impact analysis this district conveniently exempted itself from. Stop trying to balance the budget on the backs of Black students!
This is a disgraceful and disgusting move in the middle of a pandemic and based on the list of targeted schools this also seems to be directly aimed at disenfranchised and minority populations.
As a East Bay native, public-school- educated and Cal grad, I strongly oppose closing any of our public schools down. Historically, these closures have been shown to save few dollars, and that too, only in the short run. Especially with the way the District has mismanaged taxpayer dollars, including excessive management payouts, and with the excess of $240M in Covid relief funds OUSD is receiving, cuts here are gravely misplaced. Any minimal present day saving is far eclipsed by the long-term education deficit and loss in community, exercise (walking to school), and family participation. With the incredible loss of learning over the last two years, and the multitude of school closures already, it’s outrageous that padlocking more schools is even up for consideration!
It’s time to stand up for our kids who are still very much struggling to regain mental footing and academic traction after the pandemic school closures. Permanently closing schools is most certainly not the answer!
How can The Board talk about advocating for students and are now talking about taking away their safety zones? Closing schools will put our students and families at dire risk. Also, stop destroying West Oakland education, which is our oldest African-American community. Equity and Equality!
Keep our schools open!
OPPOSE! As an OUSD parent, I wonder how my children will get to school, and why these cuts are necessary? This seems very shady and suspicious.
I'm strongly opposed to school closures in Oakland OUSD during an ongoing pandemic when communities, specifically those of color. I am a parent of two elementary children (soon to be middle school) in District 1 and am strongly opposed to the closure of all schools in OUSD until the students, teachers and community have had the ability to reset and recover from this pandemic.
If you close OUSD schools you will continue to see a decrease in enrollment. Personally I will feel motivated to relocate outside of OUSD on behalf of my children's educations.
Holly Smith 94618
no school closures! these closures fracture our communities at a time when students need support and stability.
We are all SICK and TIRED of repeating ourselves into this echo chamber. We do not want school closures, never have, and never will. This is a direct attack on historically Black schools and neighborhoods. The board members who continue to vote in favor of balancing the budget on the backs of Black families seem determined to run OUSD down to the ground while the teachers, staff, students, and families fight from the inside to preserve our communities. We are tired of the same topics being brought up for years and years, and we know that school closures does not save money.
I am a white parent at a very well-resourced school in the hills. We do not have to worry about our schools in the hills closing. We don't have to think about what would happen if our schools closed...about how important they are to our community and to the well-being and safety of our children. And yet, many schools in OUSD are up for closure that serve predominately black and brown children and their families. Where will these families go if OUSD shuts down these amazing school centers -- that have served these families for generations and have provided many needed services besides school? Why isn't OUSD focusing its energy on improving these schools? More resources, smaller classes, better teacher training and retention, and other services that meet the needs of our Oakland children. This is such a huge equity issue and I just can't believe that OUSD hasn't learned from the pandemic, minimally, how critical it is to have community, improve our schools, and not shut them down.
I'm opposed to the proposed closure of 12 OUSD schools. Closing schools will not fix OUSD's problem of declining enrollment. Families are choosing other school options because of the instability of the district and enrollment will decline even more if OUSD continues its pattern of closing schools. Schools are more than just a data set of teacher salaries, class size, and student performance. As a Oakland native and mom of a 1st and 3rd grader at Hillcrest it is clear to me that schools are the keystone of any neighborhood-- providing an environment where students can grow academically, create community, and support both students and family socio-emotionally. Closing schools at this point in the pandemic will created an enormous amount of stress and an unnecessary burden on families that are already overwhelmed. Please focus on lifting up your families- look at what OUSD schools are doing well (not just a dataset) and provide resources to help create more strong functioning schools.
I am writing to support the Reparations for Black Students campaign and to oppose school closures. After the upheaval of the last 2 years, it is particularly irresponsible to suggest these huge changes for students and families on such short notice.
I am one of many supporters of the Reparations for Black Students Campaign. OUSD has a history of targeting majority Black schools for closure. Over the last two decades, OUSD has closed 16 schools, yet these closures did little to improve the achievement gap of marginalized students. OUSD has seen a massive enrollment decline in Black Students and has done nothing to rectify anti-Black racist policies and structures. This district's failure to adequately resource schools will not be resolved by school closures. Protect majority-black schools , conduct the racial equity impact analysis this district conveniently exempted itself from. Stop trying to balance the budget on the backs of Black students!
I am one of many supporters of the Reparations for Black Students Campaign. OUSD has a history of targeting majority Black schools for closure, yet has done little to improve the achievement gap of marginalized students. OUSD has done nothing to rectify anti-Black racist policies and structures. This district's failure to adequately resource schools will not be resolved by school closures. Protect majority-black schools, conduct the racial equity impact analysis this district has exempted itself from.
Students at some of the schools you’re targeting have experienced upheavals such as becoming refugees. They have built a sense of safety at school that will be wrenched away with school closure. If you need to close schools, close the well-resourced ones whose families have more stability and resources to weather instability. Sound politically hard? Extend families in under-resourced communities the same respect and consideration. Even if they can’t fight you as hard, they care as much.
I am opposed to school closures. I am very concerned regarding the extremely short timeline given for community feedback. It is a blatant an obvious attempt to discourage dissent and discourse. I disheartened
It is absurd to announce these closures and to vote on them in such a short period with so little community engagement and so little time to plan to support students and staff at these schools. Please reject this irresponsible plan and stop the merger of TCN with ICS.