As an Oakland parent, I fervently want a ceasefire and for peace and dignity for all people living in Israel and Palestine. I will weigh this issue when I vote in elections for federal officials who will direct funding and policy to deliver those outcomes. I don’t want the OUSD Board of Directors involved in international relations. I don’t want them supporting a ceasefire. I don’t want them supporting war. I don’t want them supporting Israel. I don’t want them supporting Palestine. I want them to focus on the administration of our schools.
I am a Jewish teacher in OUSD, who lives in Oakland. I am writing to support the ceasefire resolution. Let us add our voices and send a strong message to stop civilian deaths and hunger and the flattening of cities in Gaza. Let us show our Oakland students that we stand up for others when wrongs are happening and we can speak up about where our tax dollars are sent. Please vote yes on a permanent ceasefire resolution.
It is a sad day when Oakland communities have to beg & plead in the face of moral failings of our elected representatives. The board President & vice president have ignored, threatened, & attempted to silence the collective call for a very unbiased ceasefire resolution. The resolution lets our school communities know that we do not support genocide. It lets our school communities know we will speak up against the inhumanity of murdering innocent civilians everywhere, happening in real time with our tax dollars. Shame on the board President and vice president for not abiding by your democratic duties. We are asking for a basic public process. Shame on you for canceling multiple board meetings as you prepare to make more mass cuts, for threatening people's jobs for speaking up, & for electing to be tools of oppressive systems by leading the charge to censor & scare our communities into silence. While suburban school districts pass resolutions, this leadership has only shown cowardice.
Please move forward a Ceasefire Resolution. Our Students, staff, and teachers are watching a genocide in real time and we need to know that our district stands against this violence. We demand that President Davis adhere himself to the bylaw of the OUSD board, and AGENDIZE THE CEASEFIRE RESOLUTION. During his first month in office, President Davis has illegally silenced the ceasefire resolution, which a majority of the board wants to agendize (OUSD Bylaw 9322). Arab, Muslim and Palestinian students do not feel safe at school because of the ongoing genocide in Gaza, the silence in their schools, and the censorship around talking about Palestine. This is causing a significant drop in attendance from our Arab students. President Davis - Stop silencing community voices and agendize Resolution No. 2324-0159 for a vote.
My name is Christina McGhee-Esquivel and I am a biology teacher at Skyline high School.
Next year, proposed cuts include elimination of a 9th grade house that has been in existence for well over a decade. Our students and community deserve stability. Consolidations mean sending experienced teachers to other campuses, which could further contribute to declining enrollment. We have repeatedly asked the district to send more resources so that we can continue supporting our students in their joyful learning.
We are asking the district to continue supporting our campus community, which has strong pathways, and amazing arts, SPED, athletic, Newcomer, and freshman Atlas House programs, towards long term sustainability and to help us regrow our enrollment towards a bright future for the many children and and workers of Oakland who call our campus home.
I thank Sam Davis for his leadership in REJECTING a ceasefire resolution and putting a full stop on this type of inflammatory rhetoric that is dividing the community and forcing Jewish families to flee the Oakland schools.
Hamas could end this today, if they would agree to the constant ceasefire proposals offered them. In fact, just 2 weeks ago they rejected yet another. They facilitate the murder of their own people by turning hospitals and mosques into military targets.
Indeed, calls for a ceasefire are part of the worldwide psychological warfare of Hamas. They have become an uncritical, bandwagon response, divorced from the facts on the ground and counterproductive to actual dialogue and action. The lack of courage from our Bay Area political leaders, as they cave to angry mobs, has been a chilling throwback to other times in Jewish history.
Thanks to the Board for rejecting this mentality and helping to keep Oakland students safe.
Please focus on agenda items that will actually impact our kids rather than incite more division. This is virtue signaling. We all want this war to be over and for all 134 hostages to be returned.
Hello, my name is Sophia. I am 14 years old and I am in 8th grade. I live in district 5, represented by Director Lerma. I believe in a free Palestine because I feel like Palestine has a very big disadvantage in this war. In Palestine I see many houses & hospitals being bombed. I also see many Israeli people being held hostage. Kids at my school want a ceasefire to prevent Palestinians from being killed. Because students believe that what is happening right now in Palestine is genocide.
We demand that President Davis adhere himself to the bylaw of the OUSD board, and
AGENDIZE THE CEASEFIRE RESOLUTION that a majority of the board supports. During his
first month in office, President Davis has illegally silenced the ceasefire resolution, which a
majority of the board wants to agendize (OUSD Bylaw 9322). Arab, Muslim and Palestinian
students do not feel safe at school because of the ongoing genocide in Gaza, the silence in
their schools, and the censorship around talking about Palestine. This is causing a significant
drop in attendance from our Arab students. President Davis is responsible for representing
OUSD students and following our democratic processes to address school district concerns.
This resolution process has included countless meetings with board members and
community members who are responding to the impact of this humanitarian crisis on our
students. President Davis - Stop silencing community voices and agendize Resolution No.
2324-0159 for a vote.
Hello my name is Askar. I am 14 years old and I am in 8th grade. I live in district 5. I am a student of Ousd.I believe in a Free Palestine because people are dying by bombing and starving and thirst.The israeli forces are taking the Palestinians home and treating kids and woman badly .Kids at my school want to see a permanent ceasefire because we need to stop the killing and bombing.My friends and I want to learn about Palestine in our classroom because they want to know what's going on in the world
These calls for ceasefire highlight the way one set of students feel unsafe by the school board not voting. However these students for the most part have supportive teachers (as evidenced in these comments), running teach ins, posting posters, organizing protests, etc.. and a large community rallying behind them. Other student communities do not have this support and are being ostracized by teachers, peers, and the ORA right now. I beg of the adults here to focus on the needs of ALL our youth and our families and recognize that our international and national leaders will deal with this. Locally, we needed to set an OUSD calendar MONTHS ago, so working parents can find summer childcare for our kids, we need to fund the security systems at our schools so street violence cannot enter our buildings, and we need to finalize our district budgets. PLEASE let’s stop this divisiveness and work TOGETHER instead of fighting one another. Let’s focus locally and make peace IN Oakland.
Voting on a resolution regarding a war happening over 7000 miles away is way outside the scope of what the school board is tasked to do. No amount of bullying and name-calling changes that fact. It's time to get to the business of running Oakland schools which are in shambles. This kind of ridiculousness is why parents are pulling their kids out of the district. This is why the district stands to lose more funding and more schools will close. Looking forward to seeing what this new board can accomplish for our students of they ever get the chance to do the jobs they were voted in to do.
You’re a school board. You’re not the UN, you’re not the international court you’re not in any form of government that deals with international affairs. This is a waste of time. Focus your energy on local issues only related to the education of the children of Alameda county. Stop pretending you’re anything else with that. Oakland has more of it share of problems that need to be addressed for the good of the residence .
For the 400th time. Demanding that the School Board calls for a ceasefire anywhere is outside of the scope of what the school board is tasked to do. Their job is not to insert themselves in geo-political conflict. The board was voted in to handle the business of Oakland school budgets, school safety, and education. The goal is to get our OUSD students college and job-ready. That is their duty. Throwing a temper tantrum like petulant children doesn't change that facts. Let's start to live in reality and fix Oakland schools. All this noise is accomplishing is preventing our students from thriving.
My name is Eric Espinosa and I am a teacher at Skyline high School.
In the last several years Skyline has suffered from incidents related to the rise in community violence, despite the hard work workers in the Skyline have put in every day, tirelessly out of love for our students.
Sadly, the district has failed to counteract a harmful narrative about our campus, and thus is now attempting austerity, namely consolidations, due to the district's failure of leadership in supporting our campus’ enrollment. Next year, proposed cuts include elimination of a 9th grade house that has been in existence for well over a decade.
Consolidations mean sending experienced teachers to other campuses, which could further contribute to declining enrollment.
I also ask that the Ceasefire resolution be agendized so that the community may see how OUSD's Board of Directors stands on an ongoing genocide.
I am Zaira Santos Im 13 years old in 8th grade.Im in district 5.I believe that freeing Palestine should be taught and talked about in schools/classes.I’m hearing at some schools teachers are being threatened to get fired and got fired just for speaking up about what’s happening in Palestine.Teachers should be able to teach anything without being Threatened.It’s an important topic that should be talked about in school so students can hear what's happening in the world.Students want,asking for a permanent ceasefire.Students have feelings they feel bad and they don’t like seeing kids be taken away fromfamilies.As a student this matter doesn’t really affect my daily life because that cause is located in palestine,it does hurt seeing kids and adults be hurt for something they didn’t do.My experience influences my POV on what's happening now in palestine hearing there's a lot of violence.I hope you as human beings can help make a permanent ceasefire.
Vote YES on permanent ceasefire
As an Oakland parent, I fervently want a ceasefire and for peace and dignity for all people living in Israel and Palestine. I will weigh this issue when I vote in elections for federal officials who will direct funding and policy to deliver those outcomes. I don’t want the OUSD Board of Directors involved in international relations. I don’t want them supporting a ceasefire. I don’t want them supporting war. I don’t want them supporting Israel. I don’t want them supporting Palestine. I want them to focus on the administration of our schools.
I am a Jewish teacher in OUSD, who lives in Oakland. I am writing to support the ceasefire resolution. Let us add our voices and send a strong message to stop civilian deaths and hunger and the flattening of cities in Gaza. Let us show our Oakland students that we stand up for others when wrongs are happening and we can speak up about where our tax dollars are sent. Please vote yes on a permanent ceasefire resolution.
It is a sad day when Oakland communities have to beg & plead in the face of moral failings of our elected representatives. The board President & vice president have ignored, threatened, & attempted to silence the collective call for a very unbiased ceasefire resolution. The resolution lets our school communities know that we do not support genocide. It lets our school communities know we will speak up against the inhumanity of murdering innocent civilians everywhere, happening in real time with our tax dollars. Shame on the board President and vice president for not abiding by your democratic duties. We are asking for a basic public process. Shame on you for canceling multiple board meetings as you prepare to make more mass cuts, for threatening people's jobs for speaking up, & for electing to be tools of oppressive systems by leading the charge to censor & scare our communities into silence. While suburban school districts pass resolutions, this leadership has only shown cowardice.
CEASEFIRE RESOLUTION NOW! There are no excuses.
Please move forward a Ceasefire Resolution. Our Students, staff, and teachers are watching a genocide in real time and we need to know that our district stands against this violence. We demand that President Davis adhere himself to the bylaw of the OUSD board, and AGENDIZE THE CEASEFIRE RESOLUTION. During his first month in office, President Davis has illegally silenced the ceasefire resolution, which a majority of the board wants to agendize (OUSD Bylaw 9322). Arab, Muslim and Palestinian students do not feel safe at school because of the ongoing genocide in Gaza, the silence in their schools, and the censorship around talking about Palestine. This is causing a significant drop in attendance from our Arab students. President Davis - Stop silencing community voices and agendize Resolution No. 2324-0159 for a vote.
My name is Christina McGhee-Esquivel and I am a biology teacher at Skyline high School.
Next year, proposed cuts include elimination of a 9th grade house that has been in existence for well over a decade. Our students and community deserve stability. Consolidations mean sending experienced teachers to other campuses, which could further contribute to declining enrollment. We have repeatedly asked the district to send more resources so that we can continue supporting our students in their joyful learning.
We are asking the district to continue supporting our campus community, which has strong pathways, and amazing arts, SPED, athletic, Newcomer, and freshman Atlas House programs, towards long term sustainability and to help us regrow our enrollment towards a bright future for the many children and and workers of Oakland who call our campus home.
Thank You
I thank Sam Davis for his leadership in REJECTING a ceasefire resolution and putting a full stop on this type of inflammatory rhetoric that is dividing the community and forcing Jewish families to flee the Oakland schools.
Hamas could end this today, if they would agree to the constant ceasefire proposals offered them. In fact, just 2 weeks ago they rejected yet another. They facilitate the murder of their own people by turning hospitals and mosques into military targets.
Indeed, calls for a ceasefire are part of the worldwide psychological warfare of Hamas. They have become an uncritical, bandwagon response, divorced from the facts on the ground and counterproductive to actual dialogue and action. The lack of courage from our Bay Area political leaders, as they cave to angry mobs, has been a chilling throwback to other times in Jewish history.
Thanks to the Board for rejecting this mentality and helping to keep Oakland students safe.
Please focus on agenda items that will actually impact our kids rather than incite more division. This is virtue signaling. We all want this war to be over and for all 134 hostages to be returned.
Hello, my name is Sophia. I am 14 years old and I am in 8th grade. I live in district 5, represented by Director Lerma. I believe in a free Palestine because I feel like Palestine has a very big disadvantage in this war. In Palestine I see many houses & hospitals being bombed. I also see many Israeli people being held hostage. Kids at my school want a ceasefire to prevent Palestinians from being killed. Because students believe that what is happening right now in Palestine is genocide.
We demand that President Davis adhere himself to the bylaw of the OUSD board, and
AGENDIZE THE CEASEFIRE RESOLUTION that a majority of the board supports. During his
first month in office, President Davis has illegally silenced the ceasefire resolution, which a
majority of the board wants to agendize (OUSD Bylaw 9322). Arab, Muslim and Palestinian
students do not feel safe at school because of the ongoing genocide in Gaza, the silence in
their schools, and the censorship around talking about Palestine. This is causing a significant
drop in attendance from our Arab students. President Davis is responsible for representing
OUSD students and following our democratic processes to address school district concerns.
This resolution process has included countless meetings with board members and
community members who are responding to the impact of this humanitarian crisis on our
students. President Davis - Stop silencing community voices and agendize Resolution No.
2324-0159 for a vote.
Hello my name is Askar. I am 14 years old and I am in 8th grade. I live in district 5. I am a student of Ousd.I believe in a Free Palestine because people are dying by bombing and starving and thirst.The israeli forces are taking the Palestinians home and treating kids and woman badly .Kids at my school want to see a permanent ceasefire because we need to stop the killing and bombing.My friends and I want to learn about Palestine in our classroom because they want to know what's going on in the world
These calls for ceasefire highlight the way one set of students feel unsafe by the school board not voting. However these students for the most part have supportive teachers (as evidenced in these comments), running teach ins, posting posters, organizing protests, etc.. and a large community rallying behind them. Other student communities do not have this support and are being ostracized by teachers, peers, and the ORA right now. I beg of the adults here to focus on the needs of ALL our youth and our families and recognize that our international and national leaders will deal with this. Locally, we needed to set an OUSD calendar MONTHS ago, so working parents can find summer childcare for our kids, we need to fund the security systems at our schools so street violence cannot enter our buildings, and we need to finalize our district budgets. PLEASE let’s stop this divisiveness and work TOGETHER instead of fighting one another. Let’s focus locally and make peace IN Oakland.
Voting on a resolution regarding a war happening over 7000 miles away is way outside the scope of what the school board is tasked to do. No amount of bullying and name-calling changes that fact. It's time to get to the business of running Oakland schools which are in shambles. This kind of ridiculousness is why parents are pulling their kids out of the district. This is why the district stands to lose more funding and more schools will close. Looking forward to seeing what this new board can accomplish for our students of they ever get the chance to do the jobs they were voted in to do.
President Davis - Stop silencing community voices and agendize Resolution No. 2324-0159 for a vote.
Follow your own rules.
You’re a school board. You’re not the UN, you’re not the international court you’re not in any form of government that deals with international affairs. This is a waste of time. Focus your energy on local issues only related to the education of the children of Alameda county. Stop pretending you’re anything else with that. Oakland has more of it share of problems that need to be addressed for the good of the residence .
Ceasefire for Palestine 🇵🇸
As a special ed teacher and Oakland voter, I support the board agendizing a ceasefire resolution.
For the 400th time. Demanding that the School Board calls for a ceasefire anywhere is outside of the scope of what the school board is tasked to do. Their job is not to insert themselves in geo-political conflict. The board was voted in to handle the business of Oakland school budgets, school safety, and education. The goal is to get our OUSD students college and job-ready. That is their duty. Throwing a temper tantrum like petulant children doesn't change that facts. Let's start to live in reality and fix Oakland schools. All this noise is accomplishing is preventing our students from thriving.
My name is Eric Espinosa and I am a teacher at Skyline high School.
In the last several years Skyline has suffered from incidents related to the rise in community violence, despite the hard work workers in the Skyline have put in every day, tirelessly out of love for our students.
Sadly, the district has failed to counteract a harmful narrative about our campus, and thus is now attempting austerity, namely consolidations, due to the district's failure of leadership in supporting our campus’ enrollment. Next year, proposed cuts include elimination of a 9th grade house that has been in existence for well over a decade.
Consolidations mean sending experienced teachers to other campuses, which could further contribute to declining enrollment.
I also ask that the Ceasefire resolution be agendized so that the community may see how OUSD's Board of Directors stands on an ongoing genocide.
I am Zaira Santos Im 13 years old in 8th grade.Im in district 5.I believe that freeing Palestine should be taught and talked about in schools/classes.I’m hearing at some schools teachers are being threatened to get fired and got fired just for speaking up about what’s happening in Palestine.Teachers should be able to teach anything without being Threatened.It’s an important topic that should be talked about in school so students can hear what's happening in the world.Students want,asking for a permanent ceasefire.Students have feelings they feel bad and they don’t like seeing kids be taken away fromfamilies.As a student this matter doesn’t really affect my daily life because that cause is located in palestine,it does hurt seeing kids and adults be hurt for something they didn’t do.My experience influences my POV on what's happening now in palestine hearing there's a lot of violence.I hope you as human beings can help make a permanent ceasefire.
Vote YES on permanent ceasefire