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Asian-Black Solidarity see page 7
David Franklin New OCCUR CEO check page 5
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Lantern holds the names of the 4 million freed slaves, see page 3
Ysabel Duron on cancer care for lowincome women, see page 3
Oakland Post “Where there is no vision, the people perish...” Proverbs 29:18
Oakland Teachers Strike Continues Over Wages, ‘Common Good’ Demands for Needs of Parents, Students
Teachers show their determination on picket lines at schools across the city. Photo courtesy of OEA. By Ken Epstein
The strike of Oakland 3,000 teachers and other school staff is ending its first full week. Both sides are moving closer to a settlement, which could come soon, though observers close to the bargaining table say possibilities still exist for negotiations to break down. Both sides appear to be near agreement on salary issues. The Oakland Unified School District is offering nearly $70 million in raises for teachers and other members of the Oakland Education Association, including nurses, social workers, psychologists, counselors, and substitutes. A recent OUSD proposal offers an increase for first-year teacher salaries from $52,905 to about $63,000 and an increase for educators at the top of the salary scale from $98,980 to over $110,000. A major sticking point has been the union’s “common good” demands, especially the demand for shared decision-making at community schools, which would mean that parents and teachers would have the right to vote on how money is spent at their schools. In an interview with the Oakland Post, Ismael, “Ish” Armendariz, OEA’s interim president, said, the district and some board members do not want to give up some of their authority to shared decision making. “They want to control,” he said. “Under shared governance,
Teachers’ union President Ismael “Ish” Armendariz speaks to press at school picket line. Photo courtesy of OEA. people get to vote collectively on community members. California how the money at school sites is districts that have bargained comspent, not just advise the district, mon good demands with teacher which is free to disregard the ad- unions include Los Angeles Univice. That’s where the big discon- fied, Natomas Unified, Montenect is (in negotiations),” he said. bello Unified, San Diego Unified, Other common good propos- West Contra Costa Unified, and als include mental health ser- Jurupa Unified. vices for students, support for unSpeaking at an OUSD press housed students, implementation conference Monday, Board Presiof OUSD’s Reparations for Black dent Mike Hutchinson opposed Students policy, limit or halt the the common good proposals. closing of schools in flatland com“While we agree on the prinmunities and protection and ex- ciples of the (common good) propansion of programs for students posals, they simply do not belong with disabilities. in the contract language,” he said. Approved by the board in 2021, Three school board members the Reparations for Black Stuwho are sympathetic to the union’s dents policy is designed to imdemands, VanCedric Williams, prove academic achievement and Valarie Bachelor and Jennifer enrollment for Black students. The Brouhard, held their own press union’s proposal would give OEA conference Monday to clarify the authority to select teacher their position to the public and to members of the task force the resopush Hutchinson and Boardmemlution created. The district has wanted to limit bers Sam Davis and Dr. Clifford negotiations to traditional wage Thompson to negotiate on the and hours issues. But the union union’s common good proposals. Bachelor told the Oakland Post says though wages are crucial to that the common good proposals provide stability and a living wage have grown in importance since for educators, these other issues also directly impact parents, stu- the pandemic. “The pandemic has made it dents, and teachers. “Our schools face safety con- really clear about the inequities cerns ranging from gun violence in the community and what hapto asbestos and lead to mice and pens when we don’t address them. rat infestations to raw sewage to The bread-and-butter issues are leaky roofs,” according to a union important, but I’m glad the OEA has brought these common good statement. The OEA’s common good pro- demands to the community attenposals are based on outreach with tion, to the state’s attention,” she thousands of OUSD parents and said.
Letter: Oakland Mayor, City Attorney Call on State Attorney General to Save Holy Names University’s $55 Million Endowment
Marin County
Editor’s note: The following is part of a May 8, 2023, letter by Oakland Mayor Sheng Thao and City Attorney Barbara Parker requesting that Attorney General Rob Bonta “object to any proposal” by Holy Names University to use its $55 million endowment for
Mayor Sheng Thao anything other than educational purposes in Oakland. We write to request that you object to any proposal from Holy Names University (“HNU”) for the distribution of HNU’s $55 million endowment that is contrary to its declared purpose for
60th Year, No. 17
Weekly Edition. Edition. May 10 - 16, 2023
postnewsgroup.com
education in Oakland. The City of Oakland is deeply troubled by the HNU Board of Directors’ (“Board”) decision to close the institution, particularly since we have received information suggesting that the Board rejected efforts to keep the university operational or allow a similar educational institution to operate on HNU’s campus. As part of its closure plan, HNU entered into an agreement with Dominican University of California in San Rafael, California, to allow former HNU students to continue their academic programs at Dominican. While helpful to those students that can afford to continue their education in San Rafael, many HNU students cannot. We understand that 100% of HNU’s undergraduate students receive some form of financial aid and about 30% are first generation college students from underserved communities. Statistically,
Stacey Abrams Endorses Rep. Barbara Lee for US Senate
”Barbara Lee’s entire life has been shaped by fighting for what’s right,” said Abrams. “She is exactly the kind of person that we need going toe to toe with Mitch McConnell in the Senate. “Someone who has been fighting for issues like abortion rights, fair housing, climate action and LGBTQ+ rights long before the Democratic Party had even considered taking up those fights. Someone who is not afraid to stand up for what she knows is right – even in the face of adversity. Someone who will bring the voice of Black women to the Senate where it is sorely missed. “Black women like Barbara and I face even more barriers to being elected than our peers, and that means that getting Rep. Lee to the Senate is going to require each and every one of us working together. So I’m humbly asking you to support her with funds and votes.”
Massachusetts Rep. Ayanna Pressley Endorses Rep. Lee
She said “Lee is an icon and a trailblazer. From working with the NAACP to integrate her cheerleading squad as a teenager to the 25 years she’s spent fighting for reproductive freedom, climate action, LGBTQ+ rights, and more in Congress, she is a true champion for progress. “
Representative Justin Jones
Mayor Announces New Choice for City Administrator, While Fire Chief Resigns
Mayor Sheng Thao By Ken Epstein As the new administration of Mayor Sheng Thao takes shape, there has been a predictable shuffle among heads of departments as some who were brought in by former Mayor Libby Schaaf leave the city for new jobs. On Wednesday, Mayor Thao announced her choice for the new city administrator, Jestin Johnson, who will replace Ed Reiskin, who resigned. “Jestin Johnson has an exemplary record working with cities, organizations and residents to elevate services, address concerns and bring people together,” said Mayor Thao. “We spoke with leaders from across the country for this role, and it was clear Jestin has the right combination of experience, compassion and collaboration needed to help us improve services for residents and make city government more effective and efficient.” Said Johnson, “Being the Oakland City Administrator is a dream job. There is no other city like Oakland when it comes to its history and tapestry of cultures and people. This is an incredible opportunity to work with residents and communities to tackle public safety challenges, build and upgrade public infrastructure and work with our city workers to develop proven solutions for residents.”
Angela Glover Blackwell
hardships the commute presents, and many may discontinue college altogether as a result.
These students will be left with
college debt and no college degree.
We also are concerned about
the students who have been relying on scholarships from funds
controlled by HNU to pursue their teaching degrees (e.g., “Logan Scholarships”) and seek to ensure
that the funding for local teacher Continued on page 10
Johnson has worked in mu-
nicipal and county governments for nearly two decades, including
serving as the deputy chief operating officer in Atlanta, where he worked closely with public safety agencies and led development of significant capital projects.
In a loss for Oakland, Fire
Chief Reginald Freeman has resigned his position after two years
on the job. He was appointed fire chief in May 2021.
In his resignation letter, he
said, he will step down on June 22 for a position in the private sector.
“This decision has been pain-
ful for the aforementioned rea-
sons but one that my family and I believe is the necessary one. I will miss the Oakland Firefight-
ers deeply as well as the City of
Oakland and all the great things that the Town has to offer,” he said in the letter.
Justice for Tyrique Watley
able to continue their education
at Dominican given the economic
Firechief Reginald Freeman
Help Find Killers of College Freshman Murdered First Week of College
these students are unlikely to be
Attorney General Rob Bonta
Jestin Johnson
Tennessee Representative Justin Jones, Former Barbara Lee Staffer, Here This Weekend.
Justin Jones represents Tennessee’s 52nd district in the state legislature. This April, Jones made national headlines and sparked debate on race, representation and activism after he was expelled from the Tennessee House of Representatives for leading a gun control protest on the House floor. Jones, who was born in Oakland was hired by Barbara Lee will appear at the UC Berkeley campus for a free conversation between Rep. Jones and Angela Glover Blackwell, founder of Policy Link, which is presented in partnership with the Associated Students of the University of California Vote Coalition, the Goldman School, and the Fisk University Alumni Association.
By Family Support Advocates Tyrique Watley was ecstatic when he received the notice that he was awarded a scholarship to play football for Lincoln University’s newly formed football team. He was just 18 years old when he moved from Las Vegas, looking forward to starting his freshman year in Oakland. He wrote “ I want to thank God for the opportunity to go to college and play football. I
wanna thank my parents, coaches, and teammates for the support.” Tragically, Tyrique’s hopes and dreams for football, a college degree, and his future were all cut short by a stray bullet on August 29, 2021, in the 1900 block of Broadway around 2:30 am. Tyrique’s mother, Latoya Howard-McNair says, “Tyrique was my first-born child with a bright, infectious smile. He had a love for music and sports, playing football for Canyon Springs High School and then going on to play at Lincoln University in Oakland. He faced some challenges with being on an IEP in high school when he was diagnosed with an intellectual disability. This challenged him in the classroom, but he overcame those challenges by making an intentional decision to work hard and do his best. He had so much passion and discipline and was excited and ready to go to college Continued on page 10