Oakland Ed Week in Review (Week of 7/17 -7/30)

Last week was the launch of State of Black Education – Oakland’s “Keep Oakland Schools Segregated Series” that spoke to racial equity within OUSD, the history of redlining, integration and where we from there. Great School Voices also covered OUSH enrollment pilots and an SF Chronicle opinion piece on Bay Area school segregation. How ‘Mama…


What’s Really Wrong with Closing Schools and How the “Opportunity Ticket” Fixes It

Closing schools balances the district’s budget woes on the backs of the already most underserved parents.  The reality of closings is that it does nothing for those parents who have been dis-served and will be displaced.  Typically, they attend an equally low-performing school that is further away and/or less familiar.  And while the district may…


School Segregation Is No Accident and This Professor Says It’s Because of Our Racist Housing Policies

We have an action-focused author talk coming up with Richard Rothstein on May 10 in West Oakland (you should register now). To prepare for that, here’s a piece that Peter Cunningham just published on Education Post. Peter’s the executive director of Education Post and he served as assistant secretary for communications and outreach in the U.S.…


Ending Separate and Unequal Schools in Oakland

Most everyone says they want integrated schools.  Maybe not “too integrated” if you know what I mean, but “diverse” schools.  There is a significant body of research that says it’s good for kids too.  But integration ain’t happening.  Schools nationwide are more segregated than they were decades ago and nothing will change until we affirmatively…


Humpty Dumpty and “Public” Charter Schools

Some people in Oakland don’t like charter schools, most of them seem to live in the Hills, and have good neighborhood choices. Meanwhile many Flatlands families are voting with their feet, choosing public charter schools.  Lost in this debate is the fact the families at charters are more likely to be low income, people of…