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 support the Reparations for Black Students Resolution. Our Black students deserve stable, safe, and racially just schools. The choice to close 7 majority Black schools simply is irreconcilable with the values OUSD says it upholds to ensure equitable, safe, and positive environment for all students.
I have been teaching in Oakland 24 years, I have been through this process before.
I am disgusted at how our district is continuously in disarray.
According to statements made, it is not sustainable to keep all schools open because of under enrollment however if we sacrifice small schools to save money we are no better than every other capitalist entity that sacrifices people for profits. We are perpetuating the cycle of poverty by limiting the educational choices of already marginalized communities. The intention may not be to contribute to the racist practices that have helped maintain the status quo, but closing schools that are predominantly black and brown will leave a lasting scar on our communities. Is this the legacy that our school board is willing to live with? We are already struggling to hire and keep teachers in Oakland, do you believe making bigger classes will help keep teachers?
DO NOT CLOSE/CONSOLIDATE OUR SCHOOLS!
I strongly oppose the school closures. Stand in solidarity with students, teachers, and community members. This will have consequences that will only compound the trauma and stress put on by the pandemic. Do not merge and overcrowd and stretch staff thin. This has many multifaceted negative impacts. Maintain the communities that exist and invest in those.
I stand in support of the Reparations for Black Students Resolution and strongly oppose the closure of any of the proposed schools. This process has been rammed though specifically to reduce community input, yet still there are thousands of voices calling in to oppose this decision. As an Oakland artist and educator, we are duty bound to put people over profit and protect the lives of our students and the institutions that support them - particularly during the pandemic that we are still in! We will not stand for this attack on our black on brown rising stars, nor the teachers who work tirelessly to support them! It doesn't have to be this way, you can choose a path that engages with the communities you are meant to serve as stated in the RBSR, and explore alternate ways to address the budget shortfalls that have resulted from wasteful spending and lack of regional support, on top a ceaseless wave of charter schools siphoning off precious resources. Stop the harm! No school closures!
I am strongly opposed to the closure of the proposed schools. The emotional distress our young people will go to and the lasting rippling effects are not worth the small amount of money that is apparently what these closures are intended to provide. It is your responsibility of representatives as elected officials to represent the voices of the community. Listen to community and stop the closure of Black and Brown schools.
I'm a parent of two OUSD students, and I urge you not to close these schools and instead find a more equitable solution. I also take issue with the process of making a decision on such short notice.
I oppose school closures at this time. This decision is rushed, inequitable, and other avenues to reducing expenses have not been adequately explored. Additionally, Sam Davis' proposed amendment is also rushed as he has not visited every school to properly assess impact. I hope Board members will OPPOSE this poorly thought out plan.
When are we going to hold Charter Schools accountable? This school board is the one closing our public schools and opening charter schools. Stop trying to shut down our public schools.
Vote no for school closures. The budget will not be fixed by closing these valuable schools in our communities. I advocate for a review of the OUSD budget specifically pertaining to consultant time. Why not audit this instead?
Oaklanders rely on all of the schools as a hub for not only education of our children, but also our families' health, food, safety and sense of community. We need these schools to stay open and accessible.
The documents released by the District—including the recently-released nine-page document titled “…School Consolidations - Financial Analysis (Revised) - In Part Community Day, Hillcrest, LaEscuelita Schools (2/8/2022)”—fail to provide any basis for eliminating grades 6-8 from Hillcrest. I have submitted a letter by email to school board members at 4:39 p.m. today discussing this failure. The letter should be included in the public record. The decision to close any schools is serious and deserves serious consideration, not the rushed process of the last couple of weeks. Please vote no on the consolidation recomendation for Hillcrest and for all schools included in the plan.
You need to step back and do your equity analysis, which you all said is party of what OUSD does, instead of rushing to vote to close schools. You need more transparency in this budget process. You cannot justify school closures based on "shrinking enrollment" amidst this pandemic. You have to step back from this error now. I oppose school consolidations. Period.
Oakland students deserve investment and support. Oakland families and educators deserve respect and care from the district. Shutting down schools, which are centers of our community, disrupts lives and pushes students out of the district. The last round of school closures didn't create savings, and this round of closures targets black students, low-income students, and english language learners. How can the board put these students' schools on the chopping block?? When the district has such high expenditures on consultants with nothing to show for it, and wild facilities management, how is closing schools possibly the best option and why would it ever be the first one. Where is the creativity and solution-finding from the board? We need different ways to deal with the debt than by destroying school communities. Show us you're committed to Oakland students, not to dismantling and selling off this district. Bring us something different than the racist disinvestment of the past decades.
Closing schools does our entire community an incredible disservice that will endure far beyond the current budget challenges. In an area with so much wealth, this is simply an example of mismanagement of resources. Instead of a top-down approach that puts those with minimal representation at a grave disadvantage, what we need is an all-hands-on-deck approach that allows the countless community members who care deeply about our kids to come together to find ways to support our kids for the long haul. Please do not close ANY schools and instead figure out how to give community members what they need to build strength.
If you'd like to stop systemic racism, here's your chance! Closing the public schools that directly affect the families that need them the most is nothing short of irresponsible and disastrous to a community that has already had decades of being pushed around for not having enough money or power. Yet still great adults come out of the Oakland public school system and we need to support them, not "consolidate" them. Schools are not something you treat like net losses. Our public schools are critical to the immediate future of everyone. Imagine if the families in the Oakland Hills were forced into this position. The last thing West Oakland needs is a "consolidation" of our public schools. Kids cannot travel farther to a crowded school. We want Prescott to stay open and improved. As having been a teacher in West Oakland, I know the value the kids had by having smaller class sizes. Children in West Oakland do not need an extension of pressure to achieve. Keep the schools open!
Hello! I am an Activity Leader at an OUSD school. Closing schools is not the solution to Oakland's budget crisis. Whilst my school is not in danger of shutting down, many of my colleagues stand to lose their jobs if this plan goes through.
I advise that you listen to the hundreds of opposing comments below. Community schools must be protected at all costs.
My name is Ben Brasch and I am a 4th grader and the reason I think you shouldn’t close any of the schools is because the more schools that are closed the more limited places you can go to school so we will have to drive more and more which is worse for the environment so by closing the schools you will be hurting the environment in the process of doing so. Thank you for your time.
I support the Reparations for Black Students Resolution. Our Black students deserve stable, safe, and racially just schools. The choice to close 7 majority Black schools simply is irreconcilable with the values OUSD says it upholds to ensure equitable, safe, and positive environment for all students.
I have been teaching in Oakland 24 years, I have been through this process before.
I am disgusted at how our district is continuously in disarray.
According to statements made, it is not sustainable to keep all schools open because of under enrollment however if we sacrifice small schools to save money we are no better than every other capitalist entity that sacrifices people for profits. We are perpetuating the cycle of poverty by limiting the educational choices of already marginalized communities. The intention may not be to contribute to the racist practices that have helped maintain the status quo, but closing schools that are predominantly black and brown will leave a lasting scar on our communities. Is this the legacy that our school board is willing to live with? We are already struggling to hire and keep teachers in Oakland, do you believe making bigger classes will help keep teachers?
DO NOT CLOSE/CONSOLIDATE OUR SCHOOLS!
Look at the numbers - closing schools won’t save money - it’s about land. Don’t close neighborhood schools!
I strongly oppose the school closures. Stand in solidarity with students, teachers, and community members. This will have consequences that will only compound the trauma and stress put on by the pandemic. Do not merge and overcrowd and stretch staff thin. This has many multifaceted negative impacts. Maintain the communities that exist and invest in those.
I stand in support of the Reparations for Black Students Resolution and strongly oppose the closure of any of the proposed schools. This process has been rammed though specifically to reduce community input, yet still there are thousands of voices calling in to oppose this decision. As an Oakland artist and educator, we are duty bound to put people over profit and protect the lives of our students and the institutions that support them - particularly during the pandemic that we are still in! We will not stand for this attack on our black on brown rising stars, nor the teachers who work tirelessly to support them! It doesn't have to be this way, you can choose a path that engages with the communities you are meant to serve as stated in the RBSR, and explore alternate ways to address the budget shortfalls that have resulted from wasteful spending and lack of regional support, on top a ceaseless wave of charter schools siphoning off precious resources. Stop the harm! No school closures!
I oppose the closure of public schools. The children of the area need and deserve an education.
I am strongly opposed to the closure of the proposed schools. The emotional distress our young people will go to and the lasting rippling effects are not worth the small amount of money that is apparently what these closures are intended to provide. It is your responsibility of representatives as elected officials to represent the voices of the community. Listen to community and stop the closure of Black and Brown schools.
I'm a parent of two OUSD students, and I urge you not to close these schools and instead find a more equitable solution. I also take issue with the process of making a decision on such short notice.
I oppose school closures at this time. This decision is rushed, inequitable, and other avenues to reducing expenses have not been adequately explored. Additionally, Sam Davis' proposed amendment is also rushed as he has not visited every school to properly assess impact. I hope Board members will OPPOSE this poorly thought out plan.
Do not close down these schools, we need more investment in Black and brown Oakland communities, not less
When are we going to hold Charter Schools accountable? This school board is the one closing our public schools and opening charter schools. Stop trying to shut down our public schools.
Vote no for school closures. The budget will not be fixed by closing these valuable schools in our communities. I advocate for a review of the OUSD budget specifically pertaining to consultant time. Why not audit this instead?
Oaklanders rely on all of the schools as a hub for not only education of our children, but also our families' health, food, safety and sense of community. We need these schools to stay open and accessible.
The documents released by the District—including the recently-released nine-page document titled “…School Consolidations - Financial Analysis (Revised) - In Part Community Day, Hillcrest, LaEscuelita Schools (2/8/2022)”—fail to provide any basis for eliminating grades 6-8 from Hillcrest. I have submitted a letter by email to school board members at 4:39 p.m. today discussing this failure. The letter should be included in the public record. The decision to close any schools is serious and deserves serious consideration, not the rushed process of the last couple of weeks. Please vote no on the consolidation recomendation for Hillcrest and for all schools included in the plan.
You need to step back and do your equity analysis, which you all said is party of what OUSD does, instead of rushing to vote to close schools. You need more transparency in this budget process. You cannot justify school closures based on "shrinking enrollment" amidst this pandemic. You have to step back from this error now. I oppose school consolidations. Period.
Oakland students deserve investment and support. Oakland families and educators deserve respect and care from the district. Shutting down schools, which are centers of our community, disrupts lives and pushes students out of the district. The last round of school closures didn't create savings, and this round of closures targets black students, low-income students, and english language learners. How can the board put these students' schools on the chopping block?? When the district has such high expenditures on consultants with nothing to show for it, and wild facilities management, how is closing schools possibly the best option and why would it ever be the first one. Where is the creativity and solution-finding from the board? We need different ways to deal with the debt than by destroying school communities. Show us you're committed to Oakland students, not to dismantling and selling off this district. Bring us something different than the racist disinvestment of the past decades.
Closing schools does our entire community an incredible disservice that will endure far beyond the current budget challenges. In an area with so much wealth, this is simply an example of mismanagement of resources. Instead of a top-down approach that puts those with minimal representation at a grave disadvantage, what we need is an all-hands-on-deck approach that allows the countless community members who care deeply about our kids to come together to find ways to support our kids for the long haul. Please do not close ANY schools and instead figure out how to give community members what they need to build strength.
If you'd like to stop systemic racism, here's your chance! Closing the public schools that directly affect the families that need them the most is nothing short of irresponsible and disastrous to a community that has already had decades of being pushed around for not having enough money or power. Yet still great adults come out of the Oakland public school system and we need to support them, not "consolidate" them. Schools are not something you treat like net losses. Our public schools are critical to the immediate future of everyone. Imagine if the families in the Oakland Hills were forced into this position. The last thing West Oakland needs is a "consolidation" of our public schools. Kids cannot travel farther to a crowded school. We want Prescott to stay open and improved. As having been a teacher in West Oakland, I know the value the kids had by having smaller class sizes. Children in West Oakland do not need an extension of pressure to achieve. Keep the schools open!
Hello! I am an Activity Leader at an OUSD school. Closing schools is not the solution to Oakland's budget crisis. Whilst my school is not in danger of shutting down, many of my colleagues stand to lose their jobs if this plan goes through.
I advise that you listen to the hundreds of opposing comments below. Community schools must be protected at all costs.
My name is Ben Brasch and I am a 4th grader and the reason I think you shouldn’t close any of the schools is because the more schools that are closed the more limited places you can go to school so we will have to drive more and more which is worse for the environment so by closing the schools you will be hurting the environment in the process of doing so. Thank you for your time.