| OUSD press release Oakland, CA — Three days after the aunt of a Garfield Elementary Pre-K student was killed and the student was injured in a hit and run crash outside the school, the school community will be sending a loud and impassioned message to the city and its residents. They want drivers on city streets, especially around schools, to slow down and be careful. And they want the city to make the streets around Garfield and other schools safer for pedestrians. |
| The community is in mourning because on Tuesday, the aunt, whose name is Huong Truong (right), was walking in a crosswalk with her niece at 22nd Avenue and Foothill Blvd when they were hit by a car. Ms. Truong passed away on the scene, the niece was taken to the hospital. This incident comes less than six months after a hit and run crash happened on Foothill a few blocks away killing a kindergartener from International Community School named Angel Garcia and his mother. Foothill Boulevard is notorious for being a street on which drivers speed and engage in other reckless behaviors. For several years, the school community has been campaigning the city for changes that help slow down drivers, such as flashing lights and more visible “School Zone” signs. Oakland Police and the City say they have stepped up patrols and speed enforcement near the school, added a speed trailer which tells drivers how fast they are moving, and this week, the City Council approved a Step Grant, funding that will support traffic safety education and enforcement efforts. On Friday, in the names of Ms. Truong and her niece, Garfield students, families and staff will be protesting outside the school before classes begin and after school lets out for the day hoping to spark additional change. Media is invited to cover these actions and the important issues that surround them. WHAT: Garfield School Community Protests, Calling for Improved Traffic Safety WHEN: 8:00 a.m. and 3:00 p.m., Friday, October 4 WHERE: 22nd Avenue and Foothill Blvd, adjacent to Garfield Elementary, 1640 22nd Avenue |
| ###About the Oakland Unified School DistrictIn California’s most diverse city, Oakland Unified School District (OUSD) is dedicated to creating a learning environment where “Every Student Thrives!” More than half of our students speak a non-English language at home. And each of our 83 schools is staffed with talented individuals uniting around a common set of values: Students First, Equity, Excellence, Integrity, Cultural Responsiveness and Joy. We are committed to preparing all students for college, career and community success. To learn more about OUSD’s Full Service Community District focused on academic achievement while serving the whole child in safe schools, please visit OUSD.org and follow us @OUSDnews |
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