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Agenda Item

C1.-1 23-0975 Public Comment On Closed Session Items - April 26, 2023.

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    Megan Gould over 1 year ago

    I'm an OUSD parent with a child at Chabot elementary, and I stand in solidarity with our teachers against OUSD's unfair labor practices and bad faith negotiation tactics. Our teachers give everything to our kids. They are the lifeblood of our communities. In my years as an OUSD parent, I have had the experience of being waited on at a restaurant by my child's teacher, because one full time job as an educator was not enough to allow them to afford to live in Oakland. That teacher has already moved away, like so many young and not so young educators have to do. Our children do not have a solid foundation when they have a revolving door of teachers who are forced to leave the city bc they can't afford to live here. Give our teachers a fair contract that allows talented and passionate young educators and vital support staff to live and thrive in our city.

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    Elia Shelton over 1 year ago

    I stand with OEA and the teachers and staff whose tireless work, seemingly boundless patience, and immense skill and knowledge educate and support Oakland's children and families. I have two children at Emerson Elementary and over the 5 years my family has been at Emerson we have seen how teachers, CDC staff, counselors, and other support staff work together to make sure no child or family falls through the cracks. Every member of staff is an integral part of the team and valued. OUSD's current proposals violate this principle by pitting support staff and new teachers against teachers with more experience. So not only is the proposal for experienced teachers not offering enough but it leaving 60% of your staff even further behind. The American public education system and OUSD have been running on the quickly vanishing fumes of patience of teachers and staff members for decades and it needs to stop. What they do is invaluable but we should at least value it more by paying more.

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    D E over 1 year ago

    I am not only a teacher in this district. I am also a parent and a community member who resides in Oakland have been teaching in the district for 14 years and I can be the first to invite folks from the district and the community to come visit schools. Upon visiting you all will be able to witness in engage in the hard work being done by teachers across the schools is Oakland. The work we put it is priceless however, the prices of living in Oakland and surrounding cities is impacting us so much that many are leaving and going to other communities who compensate their teachers accordingly. It is time for the district to engage in thoughtful discussions to make the decision to allow teachers to have a raise and also to meet many of the other demands we have put on the table. Oakland teachers love their students and families and don't want to be blamed for holding them "hostage" but rather fighting for compensation that matches the energy and work we put in to making sure students thrive

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    Nancy Phan over 1 year ago

    Youth Together stand in solidarity with OEA for a fair contract.

    Youth Together believes that when local educational institutions are designed to meet the needs of students, a strong community is created.

    We need great teachers to teach and to remain in Oakland so we can transform into thriving communities for Oakland people.