District enrollment rules conspire against equity from top to bottom. Even those most “fair” mechanisms like lotteries. Redistributing opportunities and privilege means upending these rules, something Oakland Unified has started, and gotten huge pushback on. But it’s time we take a hard look and make some hard choices. I agree with president Harris’s comments at…
Treating the Wounds No One Can See, Trauma Is a Disability
“Johnny” drove me crazy. He was always up and out of his seat and bobbing around the classroom. One eye constantly tracked him, waiting for him to get up, and he never disappointed, it was easy enough to get him to sit back down but he was always back up. It was a moment to…
After 8 Schools and Almost Giving Up, I’m Graduating From MetWest and Headed to UC Davis
This guest post is by Camille Marley Brewster (aka Mars), who is graduating from MetWest High School in Oakland Unified School District this month. During my time in Oakland I’ve been to eight different schools, some district, some charter, one home-schooling program twice, and then finally ending up at one very different and special high…
Grand Jury Questions Charter Achievement and Advocates for Common Enrollment in Oakland-Our Analysis
The Alameda County grand jury released a report on charters in OUSD this week which will have some fodder for pro and anti-charter groups. And while there were some insights, at times the analysis was insufficiently nuanced and at others it seemed to misunderstand the context or the law. Some of the more simplistic analysis…
The Silent 73% Lose Again in Oakland
73% of families in Oakland favored common enrollment in the only survey I have seen. No it wasn’t scientific, yes it was just one of several questions in a more general survey (which to me gives it credibility), yes it was online so it was probably not representative. But it had over 500 respondents and…