The most terrifying and dangerous experiences I had as a child were at home. I am not alone. My mother battled demons, and heard voices, including those telling her to kill her child. An innocent game of hide and seek turned into a terrifying game of hide or die. And I hid for hours in…
State of Black Education
Should OUSD take the Green and Social Bond Pledge?
This election, OUSD is placing a $735 million construction bond measure on the November ballot. While the investment is sorely needed, will voters hold their noses, swallow hard and trust the district to not waste all that money, after years of overspending from an organization that lacks an overarching building strategy and has suffered “a…
The Geography of Opportunity in Oakland; The Digital Divide Edition
The past is not dead, in fact it is not even past, to misquote Faulkner. The specters of racially exclusive policies still weigh heavily on Oakland’s underserved families. From asthma rates, to environmental stress, to attendance, to school quality, and now even internet access, for the 25,000 students that need support. We can trace our…
A local-to-global perspective on the digital divide in Oakland
When Anietie “Nate” Udofia thinks about the digital divide in Oakland, and the “new normal” public education is facing because of the pandemic, he does so with a global perspective. Udofia is a Nigerian American who has decades of experience working on distance learning and helping communities gain access to digital tools. He sees similarities…
The Problem with Officer Friendly in Schools
“Why do they arrest people for an expired registration?” That’s what I asked Officer Friendly when he came to my first grade class. “We wouldn’t arrest someone for that.” They did, I know they did, because I was there. My father was handcuffed and put in a police car, we sat in the station for…