C.-3 22-0296 Discussion by Audit Committee with Budget and Finance Committee of its relationship with the Board of Education, including annual areas of focus, preparation of Semi-Annual Reports to the Board of Education, Committee Membership Expansion.
friday afternoon the school district sent me a "early pre registration. But BLOCKED me from choosing Grass Valley!! I am NOT happy about this someone please contact me lpolknesbitt@yahoo.com
I am writing as a non-profit worker in Oakland who works for an organization that services the neighborhoods, and schools that would be affected by these closures. OUSD's intention of closing schools in predominantly black and brown neighborhoods is a glaring injustice on so many counts. I will just say that the district itself made a pretty good argument against school closures last year when it adopted the Reperations for Black Students Resolution: "...Over the last twenty
years, through school closures in Black neighborhoods and the
gentrification it has spurred, the over‐criminalization of Black youth, and
the failure to adequately resource schools serving Black families, two‐
thirds of Black students have been forced out of the District."
You would be adding to the historic and ongoing divestment and displacement of black and brown Oaklanders by closing these schools. You'd also be breaking any semblance of trust the district has with the community.
I am completely opposed to the school closures proposed. This decision is rushed and harmful. School children have been traumatized through this pandemic and going into it’s third year the school board is choosing to impose more trauma. The school board’s job is to provide and take care of the children of Oakland and closing their schools is the last thing they need. The school board needs to look to other areas for budget cuts.
I am opposed to ANY school closures. Especially when you continually close schools in our black and brown neighborhoods. PLEASE DO NOT close ANY OUSD schools!
I am writing as a parent in a neighboring school district and a health researcher, as well as one of many Oakland neighbors with concerns about closing schools in a rushed way without a process that engages school staff, parents and students. There are other ways to handle a budget crisis and OUSD’s own history of school closures is a clear indicator that closing schools will not produce the desired district savings. In addition, closing schools in a rushed way when children's education has been severely disrupted by the COVID pandemic is likely to have substantial negative consequences for students and families. The average distance a student/family would have to travel to get to these proposed welcoming schools is over 2 miles. Some of these welcoming schools are in completely different neighborhoods, some require students to walk across dangerous high traffic streets and intersections, and OUSD does not offer school buses to most students.
I categorically oppose cuts and closures as a Dewey teacher and district 2 voter. Cuts and closures harm students and families, putting them through emotional trauma and physical danger regarding 1) removal from COVID and health care sites like local clinics such as Youth Heart Health Center that serves many school, 2) long commutes through gang - impacted territories away from their save haven schools. Upper level management needs furloughs and pay cuts to instead of closing or merging schools that increase the cruel and unusual civil rights violations Black, Brown Asian, and Middle Eastern youth endure at the hands of OUSD.
I am not sure where to put my comment, but in the rushed push to close mostly Black schools, has the budget committee sought other means of achieving savings. OUSD may have a lot of small schools (intentionally created), but it also has a disproportionate number of charter schools (39!), very expensive contracts, and a huge number of administrators (47 according to Transparent California- https://transparentcalifornia.com/salaries/2020/school-districts/alameda/oakland-unified/) earning over $200,000 a year including benefits. In 2018, there were only 14 such positions. We have one of the highest paid administrations in the state renting very expensive office space and hiring very expensive consultants. I hope the Budget Committee will seek other ways to balance its budget, ways that will not inflict further harm to communities which have suffered too many school closures already and whose neighborhoods need to be supported not harmed. Closing more E and W Oakland schools is shameful.
friday afternoon the school district sent me a "early pre registration. But BLOCKED me from choosing Grass Valley!! I am NOT happy about this someone please contact me lpolknesbitt@yahoo.com
I am writing as a non-profit worker in Oakland who works for an organization that services the neighborhoods, and schools that would be affected by these closures. OUSD's intention of closing schools in predominantly black and brown neighborhoods is a glaring injustice on so many counts. I will just say that the district itself made a pretty good argument against school closures last year when it adopted the Reperations for Black Students Resolution: "...Over the last twenty
years, through school closures in Black neighborhoods and the
gentrification it has spurred, the over‐criminalization of Black youth, and
the failure to adequately resource schools serving Black families, two‐
thirds of Black students have been forced out of the District."
You would be adding to the historic and ongoing divestment and displacement of black and brown Oaklanders by closing these schools. You'd also be breaking any semblance of trust the district has with the community.
I am completely opposed to the school closures proposed. This decision is rushed and harmful. School children have been traumatized through this pandemic and going into it’s third year the school board is choosing to impose more trauma. The school board’s job is to provide and take care of the children of Oakland and closing their schools is the last thing they need. The school board needs to look to other areas for budget cuts.
I am opposed to ANY school closures. Especially when you continually close schools in our black and brown neighborhoods. PLEASE DO NOT close ANY OUSD schools!
I am writing as a parent in a neighboring school district and a health researcher, as well as one of many Oakland neighbors with concerns about closing schools in a rushed way without a process that engages school staff, parents and students. There are other ways to handle a budget crisis and OUSD’s own history of school closures is a clear indicator that closing schools will not produce the desired district savings. In addition, closing schools in a rushed way when children's education has been severely disrupted by the COVID pandemic is likely to have substantial negative consequences for students and families. The average distance a student/family would have to travel to get to these proposed welcoming schools is over 2 miles. Some of these welcoming schools are in completely different neighborhoods, some require students to walk across dangerous high traffic streets and intersections, and OUSD does not offer school buses to most students.
I categorically oppose cuts and closures as a Dewey teacher and district 2 voter. Cuts and closures harm students and families, putting them through emotional trauma and physical danger regarding 1) removal from COVID and health care sites like local clinics such as Youth Heart Health Center that serves many school, 2) long commutes through gang - impacted territories away from their save haven schools. Upper level management needs furloughs and pay cuts to instead of closing or merging schools that increase the cruel and unusual civil rights violations Black, Brown Asian, and Middle Eastern youth endure at the hands of OUSD.
I am not sure where to put my comment, but in the rushed push to close mostly Black schools, has the budget committee sought other means of achieving savings. OUSD may have a lot of small schools (intentionally created), but it also has a disproportionate number of charter schools (39!), very expensive contracts, and a huge number of administrators (47 according to Transparent California- https://transparentcalifornia.com/salaries/2020/school-districts/alameda/oakland-unified/) earning over $200,000 a year including benefits. In 2018, there were only 14 such positions. We have one of the highest paid administrations in the state renting very expensive office space and hiring very expensive consultants. I hope the Budget Committee will seek other ways to balance its budget, ways that will not inflict further harm to communities which have suffered too many school closures already and whose neighborhoods need to be supported not harmed. Closing more E and W Oakland schools is shameful.