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…
Four Answers to the Crisis Facing the Bay Area’s Black Community
The Bay Area’s Black community is in crisis. And the community came up with answers during our year of convening, and they are game changers. Segregated housing and discrimination have created unequal paths that are so well worn they are invisible to most. Housing, health, education and access to opportunity in general all conspire against…
The Oakland Education Week in Review 10/14-10/21
All the news that’s fit to link, looking at segregation in West Oakland and the effects, recommendation that came out of the State of Black Education in Oakland meetings, public school wars in WCC, a look at school disparities from Pro Publica, a young teacher tells their story, great events from AAMA and a SpEd…
Racism in Class; Learning a Damaging Behavior–A Young Teacher’s Story
(A guest post from F’tahn Bey a young Black public school educator in Oakland, you can hear from him at our SoBEO event on 10/20 at Geoffrey’s) In education, we imagine school to be a safe and equitable place, but as a young Black male educator my experience has been very different. I taught Ethnic…
Housing Solutions for Our Most Vulnerable Students; What Schools and Districts Can Do
Oakland’s homeless epidemic is largely a Black problem. According to an Alameda County Survey, “almost 70 percent of the people living on Oakland’s streets are black. Yet black people were 28 percent of Oakland’s 2010 census population.” It is even more bleak if you are in the foster system, in Alameda County more than half,…