Habari Gani! The Power of the Nguzo Saba (7 Principles) SoBEO is reaching out in the spirit of the Ngzo Saba – 7 Powerful Principles that speak to the social, economic, and spiritual wellbeing of the Black Community. Kwanzaa is celebrated from Dec 26 -January 1st. Today we greet you in the Spirit of…
oakland
Reflections on 12 years of Service on the OUSD school board
I woke up most of those mornings before board meetings with a prayer that I might be in service. I am grateful for the opportunity to serve. What an incredibly humbling experience working inside the complexity of OUSD — hearing the voices of young people, the struggles of parents, along with the inspiring hope they…
Why Students Are Skipping YOUR Class: Improving Teacher Practice from a Student’s Perspective
(A guest post from Trylyon Love, an Oakland public school student and energy converter) A school is a place that we are supposed to be getting “educated.” If school is such a beneficial place for us, why are there so many students failing most of their classes? Why are students complaining every day about coming here?…
2 Things the NAACP Got Right on Charter Schools
While I think there is a lot wrong with the NAACP’s look at charters, they did get two things right. One is a substantive policy that we should take up, and the other is more of an admission that hopefully will lead us to a better conversation and meaningful action. First, let’s look at the…
The Predator, The Snake, and The Thief; Why I Couldn’t Wait to Get Away from Paradise
My name is Jeremias Arevalo. I am a junior at Lighthouse Community Charter School. I have always enjoyed writing in the forms of poetry, scripture and memoirs. I hope that my work shows you an insight into the life of a mixed-race, 17-year-old growing up in a turbulent time, in a turbulent place. I love…