Brother Malcolm would be spinning in his casket if he heard the so called BAMN (by any means necessary) caucus using his words for an agenda he certainly would not agree with, calling the attempt to integrate some special education students in Oakland into regular classes, “the New Jim Crow”. Ha, as most Black families…
Month: October 2015
Quality School Food as an Equity Issue
Small moments break your heart sometimes. The school food was not good, but as the bell rang to end lunch, she was hurriedly squirrelling leftover sandwiches and half sandwiches into her backpack. A slight kindergartener, she couldn’t eat all those sandwiches herself, but was taking them home for later, and maybe for others. We take…
Housing should not be Destiny- Reforming Enrollment Rules to Increase Equity
Low income students in Oakland are 18.3 times more likely to be in lowest scoring schools in reading than their more advantaged peers. That was one of the most striking results in the recent CRPE study. And while that was the most jarring stat, putting Oakland in dead last among the 50 cities studies, every…
How is Oakland Education Measuring Up?
Great content and food for thought in the Center for Reinventing Public Education’s latest report, Measuring Up; Educational Improvement and Opportunity in 50 Cities, which compares 50 cities, including Oakland, across a range of measures of academic growth, achievement, and opportunities. There are highlights, lowlights, and yawning achievement and opportunity gaps, but the biggest takeaway…
“Yes means Yes” Sex Ed. Law is the Right Move for CA
Teaching sex education in schools is a cringe worthy task. The schools are forced to confront painful realities that many parents would rather be in denial about, leading to uncomfortable confrontations, raw emotions, and sometimes schisms. But sometimes not… Years ago in West Oakland, one of my schools faced down these issues, and found community…