SoBEO Interview with Dr. Clifford Thompson

State of Black Education Oakland (SoBEO), a collective co-founded by our founder Dirk Tillotson, is gathering information from the Oakland public education community about the state of Black education in Oakland through a survey we developed. (We would love to hear from you, please take five minutes to complete it!) With the 2024 election right around the corner,…


Dr. Clifford Thompson: longtime educator running for re-election to Oakland school board

Dr. Clifford (Clif) Thompson first ran for the District 7 school board seat for the Oakland Unified School District in 2020 because he felt the board was not focusing enough on what matters most: student achievement.


District 3 School Board Candidate Dwayne Aikens Jr.

When Dwayne Aikens Jr. looks at the state of Oakland public schools, he does so as an insider who knows what it’s like to attend school here. When he talks about Oakland students, he speaks from experience of being one himself. 

That’s why he’s running for the Oakland school board, District 3 position: to use his experience and community connections to benefit students.


This Thursday (9/12): Oakland candidate forum from Families in Action

Hear what Oakland school board and city council candidates have to say about important education and civic issues at the only forum this election organized by students and families.


Benjamin Salop: the 20-year-old former OUSD student running for School Board

Benjamin Salop is running for the District 1 Oakland school board position as a 20-year-old who graduated from Oakland Tech in 2022 because he believes that students and families deserve a seat at the decision-making table.