[http://www.indybay.org/newsitems/2011/04/07/18676610.php]
[http://indybay.org/education]
Oakland Education Association: [http://www.oaklandea.org]
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The Oakland Unified School District (OUSD) board scheduled a Special Meeting to discuss impending layoffs and other budget issues on April 6th, 2011. Hundreds of concerned parents and teachers attempted to attend the meeting but the room in which the meetings are held is too small for such a crowd. When requests that the meeting be moved to a fourth floor room large enough to hold the overflow crowd were ignored, and no opportunity for public comment was allowed, the teachers and parents began to chant. The OUSD board then called for police to clear the room of all teachers and parents.
Oakland teachers Alicia Arnold and Tania Kappner discuss what happened at the Special Meeting and the issues facing public education in Oakland today:
(video 7:15)
The relationship between the OUSD board and the Oakland Education Association (OEA) teacher's union has not been good for some time. Oakland teachers staged a one-day strike last year on April 29th after the board imposed a contract without OEA consent [http://www.indybay.org/newsitems/2010/04/30/18646217.php].
On March 15th of this year, over 600 teachers and educational support staff were served with notices that they could be laid off as early as May. Teachers, parents, and students then attempted to work with superintendents and elected officials on finding new revenue streams at a Town Hall on saving public education held on March 26th [http://www.indybay.org/newsitems/2011/03/29/18675835.php].
Parents and teachers, though, have little faith that the Oakland Unified school board will take the steps necessary to save Oakland schools by fighting for the resources required to prevent a collapse of public education in the district, especially with some board members openly expressing support for the expansion of less accountable, non-unionized charter schools [http://www.indybay.org/newsitems/2011/03/30/18675987.php].
On April 4th, a day of nationwide worker solidarity actions [http://www.indybay.org/newsitems/2011/03/29/18675910.php], the OEA took matter of funding into its own hands by shutting down the Wells Fargo branch on 12th Street and Broadway in order to call attention to the big banks' roles in the current budget shortfall and the ongoing defunding of public education [http://www.indybay.org/newsitems/2011/04/05/18676361.php].
Police block the doors to the board room after teachers and parents kicked out
by dave id Thursday Apr 7th, 2011 10:12 AM
Speakers and chants outside the board room
by dave id Thursday Apr 7th, 2011 10:12 AM
Parents, students, and teachers forced to watch board meeting on TVs in auxillary room
by dave id Thursday Apr 7th, 2011 10:12 AM
Love for teachers - Save our schools
by dave id Thursday Apr 7th, 2011 10:12 AM
Watching the meeting on two television monitors. No chance for public feedback
by dave id Thursday Apr 7th, 2011 10:12 AM
Students, parents, and teachers not welcome
by dave id Thursday Apr 7th, 2011 10:12 AM
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