T.-7 22-1627 Adoption by the Board of Education of Resolution No. 2122-0096 - Reversal and Rescission of School Consolidations.*
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*Introduced by named Requestors pursuant to Board Bylaw 9322.
Please respect and take this resolution seriously. Reverse and rescind the school closure plans and repair the harm caused to the Oakland students, teachers and families you were elected to represent.
It is time to do the right thing and reverse these harmful, racist, classist school closures! It is 100% clear how damaging closures are on our most vulnerable communities and only further privatization and charters in our District. We don't need to do this. It is not too late to do the right thing and keep these schools open.
I work for a nonprofit that partners with Oakland schools-- these students deserve to have their schools stay open, especially considering they are majority Black and underfunded schools. Please reverse the decision to close/consolidate schools-- here's a thought, stop funding the police so much and actually support Oakland's children!!
Closing a neighborhood school without a thorough equity audit is unconscionable. This is a completely outdated way to do business and I am shocked that OUSD would ever attempt such a backwards move. There is still time to do things right and I sincerely hope the board takes this resolution seriously.
More than ever do we need schools as a support system for our communities of color that have been so traumatized and damaged from the onslaught of Covid-19. Please support a Reversal on the school closures and return some hope to our communities that so badly need this school.
Despite the fact that during last week's meeting, Directors Yee, Thompson, Eng, and Davis demonstrated once again their commitment to the closure of OUSD schools, the creeping privatization of public education, and the destruction of Black and Brown communities in Oakland, it is worth celebrating the fact that this resolution has come before the Board for a vote. This resolution comes directly from the people, and reflects the organizing power of the community in opposition to school closures. The Board majority has one further chance to pass this resolution and begin undoing the cascading harms their decisions have inflicted. We urge you to do so.
Both of my children attended Oakland Public Schools. We have lived in East Oakland since 1970. I taught for 12 years at Laney College. My wife and I have been teachers and artists in Oakland's public schools for over 40 years.
Keep Oakland's schools OPEN and PUBLIC!!! PASS THIS RESOLUTION!!!
This board adopted the “Reparations for Black Students Resolution” in March 2021 and less than a year later implemented this racially discriminatory school closure plan, disproportionately impacting Black students and families. The lack of imagination, creativity, and community engagement in the process of deciding to close schools to "balance the budget," and doing so without an equity impact analysis, is a failure of your leadership. The schools on the closure list are neighborhood schools that provide vital resources to the communities they serve. The Parker, Community Day, and La Escuelita students, teachers, and families are people, not numbers. They deserve better. Reverse and rescind the school closure plans and repair the harm caused to these families.
Schools on the closure list received state grants well above and beyond the dollar amounts needed to keep them open. The board violated it own policy of mandating an equity analysis and refused to engage the community prior to the decision to move forward on closures. The County superintendent who was pushing for school closures just had the voters fire her. There has never been an in-depth accounting that proved school closures can achieve fiscal balance, or even save any money at all!
Any one of these is a valid enough reason by itself to reverse the disastrous school closure plan from the OUSD Board. Combined, they make an overwhelming case for reversing the closures.
We know what closures do to students, their families, and the community. We know the history of marginalized students in Oakland, and the obstacles to success that their school district has put in front of them. Now is the time to reverse course, to serve our students and communities. It's not too late!
Use the budget to prioritize maintaining vibrant school communities such as Parker. Include the community in decisions about how the budget should be allocated. Thanks, Regina, OUSD teacher.
It is crucial that we keep all of our schools open during this time of trauma and need. Your communities have been loud and clear - keep Parker, La Escuelita 6-8, and Community Day open. Follow your own rules (1 year of engagement before closing a school) and right this wrong, so we can move forward in maintaining strong schools for all students.
OUSD is in good fiscal shape for the next 3 years. So I ask Directors Davis and Eng, why are you refusing to reopen Parker. It is not logistically difficult to reopen Parker. That's why the Superintendent gets (overpaid) to the tune of $400,000.00 per year. Parker, La Escuelita consolidation and community day decision needs to be reversed.
The OUSD school board knows that the district has money. It knows that closing schools does not save money. It is closing schools as part of a real estate scheme to drive families out of Oakland. Therefore it is in open violation of its mandate to defend and protect and extend the interests of the public, the real owners of the schools. Stop all school closures!
Please respect and take this resolution seriously. Reverse and rescind the school closure plans and repair the harm caused to the Oakland students, teachers and families you were elected to represent.
Vote in support for keeping the schools open!
Reverse the school closures!
It is time to do the right thing and reverse these harmful, racist, classist school closures! It is 100% clear how damaging closures are on our most vulnerable communities and only further privatization and charters in our District. We don't need to do this. It is not too late to do the right thing and keep these schools open.
I work for a nonprofit that partners with Oakland schools-- these students deserve to have their schools stay open, especially considering they are majority Black and underfunded schools. Please reverse the decision to close/consolidate schools-- here's a thought, stop funding the police so much and actually support Oakland's children!!
Closing a neighborhood school without a thorough equity audit is unconscionable. This is a completely outdated way to do business and I am shocked that OUSD would ever attempt such a backwards move. There is still time to do things right and I sincerely hope the board takes this resolution seriously.
More than ever do we need schools as a support system for our communities of color that have been so traumatized and damaged from the onslaught of Covid-19. Please support a Reversal on the school closures and return some hope to our communities that so badly need this school.
Despite the fact that during last week's meeting, Directors Yee, Thompson, Eng, and Davis demonstrated once again their commitment to the closure of OUSD schools, the creeping privatization of public education, and the destruction of Black and Brown communities in Oakland, it is worth celebrating the fact that this resolution has come before the Board for a vote. This resolution comes directly from the people, and reflects the organizing power of the community in opposition to school closures. The Board majority has one further chance to pass this resolution and begin undoing the cascading harms their decisions have inflicted. We urge you to do so.
Both of my children attended Oakland Public Schools. We have lived in East Oakland since 1970. I taught for 12 years at Laney College. My wife and I have been teachers and artists in Oakland's public schools for over 40 years.
Keep Oakland's schools OPEN and PUBLIC!!! PASS THIS RESOLUTION!!!
This board adopted the “Reparations for Black Students Resolution” in March 2021 and less than a year later implemented this racially discriminatory school closure plan, disproportionately impacting Black students and families. The lack of imagination, creativity, and community engagement in the process of deciding to close schools to "balance the budget," and doing so without an equity impact analysis, is a failure of your leadership. The schools on the closure list are neighborhood schools that provide vital resources to the communities they serve. The Parker, Community Day, and La Escuelita students, teachers, and families are people, not numbers. They deserve better. Reverse and rescind the school closure plans and repair the harm caused to these families.
Schools are sacred. Please recognize all the work your constituents have done to make it clear how important these schools are to them. Vote YES!
Schools on the closure list received state grants well above and beyond the dollar amounts needed to keep them open. The board violated it own policy of mandating an equity analysis and refused to engage the community prior to the decision to move forward on closures. The County superintendent who was pushing for school closures just had the voters fire her. There has never been an in-depth accounting that proved school closures can achieve fiscal balance, or even save any money at all!
Any one of these is a valid enough reason by itself to reverse the disastrous school closure plan from the OUSD Board. Combined, they make an overwhelming case for reversing the closures.
We know what closures do to students, their families, and the community. We know the history of marginalized students in Oakland, and the obstacles to success that their school district has put in front of them. Now is the time to reverse course, to serve our students and communities. It's not too late!
Use the budget to prioritize maintaining vibrant school communities such as Parker. Include the community in decisions about how the budget should be allocated. Thanks, Regina, OUSD teacher.
It is crucial that we keep all of our schools open during this time of trauma and need. Your communities have been loud and clear - keep Parker, La Escuelita 6-8, and Community Day open. Follow your own rules (1 year of engagement before closing a school) and right this wrong, so we can move forward in maintaining strong schools for all students.
Reopen the schools!
With a state surpllus of some $97 billikon, there is no excuse for closing schools and causing major disruptions in peoples' lives.
OUSD is in good fiscal shape for the next 3 years. So I ask Directors Davis and Eng, why are you refusing to reopen Parker. It is not logistically difficult to reopen Parker. That's why the Superintendent gets (overpaid) to the tune of $400,000.00 per year. Parker, La Escuelita consolidation and community day decision needs to be reversed.
The OUSD school board knows that the district has money. It knows that closing schools does not save money. It is closing schools as part of a real estate scheme to drive families out of Oakland. Therefore it is in open violation of its mandate to defend and protect and extend the interests of the public, the real owners of the schools. Stop all school closures!
I fully support this resolution.
I support the resolution to keep schools open. It was created by the community so listen and work with the community! Find the money and make it work!