Board Votes Three-Year $600,000 Salary for Superintendent’s PostElection Contract with Schools Closing and a Looming $95 Mil. Deficit Her contract was extended three years, while the District is closing/merging 10 schools because of $75 million deficit OUSD Supt. Kyla JohnsonTrammell’s new contract raises her salary to $602,000 annually and relieves her of superintendent duties for other projects after the first year. Courtesy photo.
By Ken Epstein The Oakland Unified School District is preparing to merge 10 schools as it is struggles to eliminate an estimated $95 million structural deficit. Meanwhile, the school board
also recently gave the superintendent a three-year contract extension, raised her salary package to a total of $602,000 a year, and relieved her of most duties managing the district. The school mergers, mostly of
flatland elementary schools, would mean that 10 schools that are co-located would be merged to become five schools. In one case, a school would probably lose its identity, with its student body absorbed into another school.
In the other schools, the mergers would run into difficulties trying to combine classes in dual immersion Spanish-English programs with schools that do not have these programs. This would mean that some Continued on page 10
Oakland Post “Where there is no vision, the people perish...” Proverbs 29:18
Weekly Edition. Edition. November 13 - 19, 2024
postnewsgroup.com
61st Year, No. 46
San Francisco Students Received Racist Texts Following Election Day
James Harris coaching on the field for the Oakland Ballers, a new Pioneer League team in the Bay Area. Harris also coaches youth baseball in order to prepare them for sports after high school. Photo courtesy of James Harris.
Pastor Servant B.K. Woodson, Stewart Chen, and Mariano Contreras speak at mass meeting organized by the Respect Our Vote coalition to oppose the recalls. Photo by Ken Epstein.
As Trump Regime Takes Shape, Local Activists Organize to Defend Democratic Rights By Ken Epstein
racial grouping, and they are com-
President-elect
mitted to extending that spirit and
ric and his growing cohort of ex-
Here is what some of them said
Reacting
to
Donald Trump’s hate-filled rheto-
practice.
tremist appointees, activists are
this week in interviews with the
stronger local, regional, and state-
Civil rights attorney and activ-
making plans to build broader and
Oakland Post.
wide alliances to defend Oakland-
ist Walter Riley emphasized the
networks of protection for com-
of Oakland’s sanctuary city ordi-
ers’ democratic rights and organize munity members who are vulnerable to persecution.
Viewing the fight for demo-
cratic rights as intertwined at the national and local levels, some of
these activists came together in the recent efforts to expose the politi-
cal agendas behind the recalls of the Alameda County district attorney and Oakland mayor.
These organizers say they were
able to create an unusually multi-
importance of enforcing the City nance which prohibits the Oakland Police Department from collaborating with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).
“Federal authorities that are do-
ing their sweeps and mass deporta-
tion should be aware that there are groups of people who will mo-
bilize every time they know that this community is targeted,” said Riley. “There are Black ministers Continued on page 10
iStock.
By Magaly Muñoz Students in the San Francisco Unified School District received disturbing racist text messages in the days following the Nov. 5 general election. The messages specifically targeted Black kids with texts saying “you have been selected to pick cotton” and “you are in Plantation Group X”. The Associated Press reported that these types of messages have been sent to dozens of Black youth and adults across the country. The FBI and other government agencies are investigating the texts. Schools have reported that students were already feeling uneasy and anxious after the announcement of former President Donald Trump winning the presidential election and the texts added to their stress and high emotions. SFUSD Superintendent Dr. Maria Su and SF NAACP President Dr. Amos Brown issued
a joint statement condemning the racist attacks, saying “we will not tolerate hate in our city.” The statement said the district will be partnering with the Department of Children, Youth, and Their Families (DCYF) to provide support for those affected. Students who received the texts will have access to wellness support and resources from the community to foster inclusive environments. Additionally, the district will be working with law enforcement to further investigate these messages. “Racism of any kind has no place in our community. We do not tolerate any instance of hate, bigotry or racism in San Francisco schools and we actively work to support SFUSD staff with implementing anti-racist approaches both in and out of the classroom,” the statement said. The SF NAACP held a town hall over the weekend to further Continued on page 10
Port of Oakland Hosts Ghanaian Port Executives to Share Insights on Zero-Emissions Mandate
Members of a delegation from the Ghana Ports and Harbours Authority visited the Port of Oakland on Wednesday. Attendees include: Isaac Osei, Michael Achagwe Luguje, Mabel Asi Sagoe, Sandra Opoku, Baffour Okyere Sarpong, Clement Osei-Amoako, Adam Imoru Ayarna, Dr. Michael Adjei Anyeti, Hamida Nuhu, Peter Amo-Bediako, Eric Afreh-Mensah, Dr. Alexander Y0aw Adusei, Joshua Nimako, tella Toku and Barbara Aidoo. Photo by Fritz Jordan. Special to the Post The Port of Oakland welcomed a delegation from the Ghana Ports and Harbours Authority (GPHA) for an insightful exchange aimed at advancing sustainable port operations on Wednesday. The visit highlighted the Port of Oakland’s efforts to achieve zero emissions, sharing its experiences and technologies with Ghanaian port executives. The delegation’s itinerary included visits to the Port’s advanced battery-electric charging station and the Hydrogen Fuel Cells fueling facility, both key initiatives within Oakland’s push to minimize
its environmental impact. The port showcased how it is actively transitioning to cleaner energy sources as part of its zeroemissions mandate, a commitment aligned with California’s ambitious environmental standards and the Biden Administration’s focus on reducing greenhouse gas emissions. The event attracted representatives from various influential organizations, including the Oakland African American Chamber of Commerce, the U.S. Department of Commerce, and the California Department of Transportation. Their involvement underscored the im-
Oakland Baseball Native Returned to the Bay to Give Back to The Town
By Magaly Munoz If anyone knows the struggles of breaking into minor league baseball, it’s James Harris. Harris, an Oakland native, was drafted by the Tampa Bay Rays in 2011, starting a tumultuous 10year career of jumping from one team to the next and health problems that would hinder his career progress. After dedicating almost his entire life to playing baseball, Harris never imagined he would be released and signed to 11 different teams over a decade. “The experience is humbling,” Harris explained. “I think that for most people, [the emotions] goes both ways, where you probably start off with a little bit of anger because you feel like you’re better than other guys that are staying. But then you have to humbly look in the mirror and say, ‘Well, what do I need to do differently if given the opportunity again?’” Harris said. Midway through his career, Harris experienced episodes of
passing out while on the field, leading to several weeks of testing with multiple cardiologists. This caused him to miss six weeks of the season. He was diagnosed with a form of heart arrhythmias, which led to his release from the A’s. Other teams unfortunately could not be convinced to take a chance on him due to heart problems, so he spent no more than a season with any organization over the next five years. In 2021, now heartbroken over what had transpired throughout his career, he decided to retire from playing baseball. Despite being frustrated, he wanted to have fun during his last season. “As an athlete, you never want to feel like the game is kicking you out. You want to walk away on your own terms,” Harris said. “I wanted to be in a position where I can transition my life from being a player to other opportunities.” And new opportunities were Continued on page 10
Judith Jamison was honored by the Kennedy Center in 1999 and received the National Medal of Arts in 2001. Photo by Jack Mitchell/ Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater.
Judith Jamison, a ‘Dancing Spirit,’ 81 portance of partnerships between example in sustainable port operalocal and international stakeholders in sharing best practices for sustainable development in port operations. “We are honored to host our colleagues from Ghana and to have this opportunity to collaborate on strategies for achieving zero emissions,” said a Port of Oakland spokesperson. “Our hope is to create a blueprint for global ports that aspire to be both economically viable and environmentally responsible.” For GPHA, the visit was a valuable learning experience. “The Port of Oakland is setting a remarkable
tions,” said one Ghanaian representative. “We’re excited to explore similar initiatives at our ports in Ghana.” As international commerce continues to grow, collaboration like this emphasizes the global commitment to greener practices, ensuring ports around the world play a role in protecting the planet for future generations. The Port of Oakland media relations office is the source of this report.
By Post Staff
mar School of Dance, where she
AN APPRECIATION
explored ballet, tap and modern
Judith Jamison, who epitomized the soul of blackness as a dancer, choreographer, and artistic director of the world-renowned Alvin Ailey Dance Theatre, died on Nov. 9 after a brief illness. She was 81. Raised in Philadephia, Pennsvlvania, her working-class parents enrolled their energetic 6-year-old daughter in the Judi-
dance. After high school, she attended Fisk University in Tennessee for a few semesters returning home to begin what would be a career in dance. At an audition in New York that she flubbed, Jamison nonetheless drew the attention of Alvin Ailey, a dancer and rising choreographer whose young Continued on page 10