22-0243 Adoption by the Board of Education of Resolution No. 2122-0030 - School Consolidations for Fiscal Years 2022-23 and 2023-24.
· Presentation by the Superintendent of Schools of recommendations for School Consolidations for Fiscal Years 2022-23 and 2023-24
· Public Comments on proposed School Consolidations
· Discussion of the Board by and between Members and/or the Superintendent of Schools and/or designee(s)
· Action by Board on Resolution No. 2122-0030
I am a teacher in West O + am disturbed by the weakness + lack of political will of this board. Instead patronizing the community and claiming that school closures and mergers "must be done", why aren't you advocating for our babies at the state? Teachers, parents, and community are taking to the streets in demonstration, striking, and refusing to eat in order draw attention to these attacks against Black and Brown students. We know that school closures do NOT save money. Here are some areas you could cut instead: According to Transparent California, the salaries plus benefits of top ranking administrators/network superintendents: Kyla Johnson (fom 2020) $428,483.22, Monica Thomas (from 2020) $220,305.33, John Sasaki (from 2017) $145,477.56 , Sondra Aguilera (from 2020) $316,799.26, Kathleen Arnold (from 2020) $197,694.80, Tamara Dukes (from 2020) $176,951.51, Cliff Hong (from 2020) $206,899.55, Gary Middleton (from 2020) $191,403.86, Kate Sugerman (from 2020) $184,421.47
I'm a teacher at Manzanita SEED and a resident of district 4. I strongly oppose any school closures or mergers on such a short timeline without community input. These closures will disproportionately affect our Black students and their families. NO CUTS NO CLOSURES.
The neighborhood school is the heart of a community. When that community is low-income, the school plays an even more important role. Horace Mann Elementary is that school. The students are loved and cared about; the educators are invested in academic success; the principal is hard working and talented. Please consider how important this school is to the students and their families. Please keep Horace Mann Elementary open.
Thank you,
Michael Wong
Please reconsider your position on closing schools so that children can continue to attend their neighborhood school. The staff at Horace Mann Elementary school have worked very hard the past few years to change the climate at their school and they don’t deserve to have all that work negated. They have worked well together and have become very close.
I strongly oppose the consolidations of schools. Most of the schools are in Black and Brown communities. If you close their nearest school, then it may be harder for them to get to another school. We don't have school buses to transport them like Berkeley and other cities do. Not everyone can afford AC Transit or have access to transportation. Also, you're showing these students and families that you serve that our needs and services aren't important. Please truly think about the families in the neighborhoods. For the last 20 years, we've seen so many schools close and students pushed to other districts and charters because Oakland doesn't seem to care about the community.
You don't save money from closing schools, but you can from cutting from the top positions. We need teachers and other staff members on the front lines and we're losing them because you're turning them away and not increasing their pay. Please find other ways to save money by looking at personnel and other expenses.
I am opposed to the school closures. The students at these schools shouldn’t have to lose their neighborhood schools. The staff at Horace Mann have done a ton of hard work to turn around the school and support students and their families. Please reconsider closing the schools.
Please approve the immediate termination of Mr Donnie Barclift Field Supervisor Nutrition Services from the OUSD. He is consistently uploading to his public youtube channel new videos of attackers assaulting victims with a 2'x4' wooden construction beam.
Here is a recent one https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VKWUDTgoGJU
This had been reported to the Ombudsperson Mr Gabriel Valenzuela but he has ignored any communication on this matter. In the 1980's Mr Barclift severely beat two 11 year old students under his care with the same type of 2'x4'. 22 years later in 2009 one of those kids died from an overdose. The moral turpitude for his reason to move to Northern California and seek employment at OUSD is clear. Please read
https://www.ipetitions.com/petition/child-predator-employed-in-the-oakland-unified
I urge the mandated reporters to take action immediately and terminate Mr Barclift under CA code 44932.
As a TEACHER at Horace Mann Elementary, I am strongly opposed to all school closures in Oakland. Our students love their school. They have access to the weekly Friday Assemblies, Tutoring, Music, Art, Library, Garden Club, Destiny Arts Dance class, Robotics Club, Upward Roots, Student Council & more! Students receive access to restorative Justice, Clinical Intervention Specialist, PBIS, Toolbox SEL skills, & Girls Inc. The school is led by Tammie Adams who is respected and adored! IF you close H.M., then our students, who are a majority walking population, will have to choose between attending; Bridges Academy 0.6 miles away or a 14-minute walk BUT introduces a program that our students are unfamiliar with, Allendale 1.4 miles away but a 30-minute walk across High Street, Global Family is 1 mile away, 22-minute walk also across High Street
There is no place our kids could walk to school without crossing a major street in East Oakland where cars have been known to KILL children.
I am a teacher in West O + am disturbed by the weakness + lack of political will of this board. Instead patronizing the community and claiming that school closures and mergers "must be done", why aren't you advocating for our babies at the state? Teachers, parents, and community are taking to the streets in demonstration, striking, and refusing to eat in order draw attention to these attacks against Black and Brown students. We know that school closures do NOT save money. Here are some areas you could cut instead: According to Transparent California, the salaries plus benefits of top ranking administrators/network superintendents: Kyla Johnson (fom 2020) $428,483.22, Monica Thomas (from 2020) $220,305.33, John Sasaki (from 2017) $145,477.56 , Sondra Aguilera (from 2020) $316,799.26, Kathleen Arnold (from 2020) $197,694.80, Tamara Dukes (from 2020) $176,951.51, Cliff Hong (from 2020) $206,899.55, Gary Middleton (from 2020) $191,403.86, Kate Sugerman (from 2020) $184,421.47
I'm a teacher at Manzanita SEED and a resident of district 4. I strongly oppose any school closures or mergers on such a short timeline without community input. These closures will disproportionately affect our Black students and their families. NO CUTS NO CLOSURES.
Stop your racist attacks on majority Black schools. Voy NO on ALL school closures, mergers, and consolidations.
The neighborhood school is the heart of a community. When that community is low-income, the school plays an even more important role. Horace Mann Elementary is that school. The students are loved and cared about; the educators are invested in academic success; the principal is hard working and talented. Please consider how important this school is to the students and their families. Please keep Horace Mann Elementary open.
Thank you,
Michael Wong
Please reconsider your position on closing schools so that children can continue to attend their neighborhood school. The staff at Horace Mann Elementary school have worked very hard the past few years to change the climate at their school and they don’t deserve to have all that work negated. They have worked well together and have become very close.
I strongly oppose the consolidations of schools. Most of the schools are in Black and Brown communities. If you close their nearest school, then it may be harder for them to get to another school. We don't have school buses to transport them like Berkeley and other cities do. Not everyone can afford AC Transit or have access to transportation. Also, you're showing these students and families that you serve that our needs and services aren't important. Please truly think about the families in the neighborhoods. For the last 20 years, we've seen so many schools close and students pushed to other districts and charters because Oakland doesn't seem to care about the community.
You don't save money from closing schools, but you can from cutting from the top positions. We need teachers and other staff members on the front lines and we're losing them because you're turning them away and not increasing their pay. Please find other ways to save money by looking at personnel and other expenses.
I am opposed to the school closures. The students at these schools shouldn’t have to lose their neighborhood schools. The staff at Horace Mann have done a ton of hard work to turn around the school and support students and their families. Please reconsider closing the schools.
To PTA, Board, and all mandated reporters,
Please approve the immediate termination of Mr Donnie Barclift Field Supervisor Nutrition Services from the OUSD. He is consistently uploading to his public youtube channel new videos of attackers assaulting victims with a 2'x4' wooden construction beam.
Here is a recent one https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VKWUDTgoGJU
This had been reported to the Ombudsperson Mr Gabriel Valenzuela but he has ignored any communication on this matter. In the 1980's Mr Barclift severely beat two 11 year old students under his care with the same type of 2'x4'. 22 years later in 2009 one of those kids died from an overdose. The moral turpitude for his reason to move to Northern California and seek employment at OUSD is clear. Please read
https://www.ipetitions.com/petition/child-predator-employed-in-the-oakland-unified
I urge the mandated reporters to take action immediately and terminate Mr Barclift under CA code 44932.
As a TEACHER at Horace Mann Elementary, I am strongly opposed to all school closures in Oakland. Our students love their school. They have access to the weekly Friday Assemblies, Tutoring, Music, Art, Library, Garden Club, Destiny Arts Dance class, Robotics Club, Upward Roots, Student Council & more! Students receive access to restorative Justice, Clinical Intervention Specialist, PBIS, Toolbox SEL skills, & Girls Inc. The school is led by Tammie Adams who is respected and adored! IF you close H.M., then our students, who are a majority walking population, will have to choose between attending; Bridges Academy 0.6 miles away or a 14-minute walk BUT introduces a program that our students are unfamiliar with, Allendale 1.4 miles away but a 30-minute walk across High Street, Global Family is 1 mile away, 22-minute walk also across High Street
There is no place our kids could walk to school without crossing a major street in East Oakland where cars have been known to KILL children.