Feature Archives

On March 16 there was a City Council hearing on school closures. State Administrator Randolph Ward is threatening to close five Oakland elementary schools in predominately low income African American and Latino communities to potentially save 1.2 million dollars. Meanwhile, Alameda County is spending 177 million dollars to build a new prison for children.
Parents, teachers, union members, church members, elected officials and concerned citizens of the Coalition Against School Closures rallied and spoke before the City Council during their debate.
Photos: 1   2 | Read More...

On Thursday March 4th, over one hundred students and teachers and students rallied in front of UC Chancellor Berdahl's office to protest the proposed closure of Berkeley Extension's English Language Program(ELP). 32 faculty members will be laid off if the closure goes forward. Read More

March 16-- Defend Oakland Schools (rally and hearing)

On Friday, Feb. 20, several students from Oakland's School of Social Justice and Community Development (SSJCD) were detained and harrassed by members of an Oakland Police taskforce. According to reports, the students were invasively searched, threatened with physical violence, and repeatedly called "nigg**" by white officers. Teachers were told that the students were being detained "under reasonable suspicion of being black" and the officers refused to provide their badge numbers to school staff. Under pressure from students and staff, police eventually released the students without comment, explanation or apology. A protest against police abuse and racism has been called for 4 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 26 at Eastmont Mall Police Substation, 7200 Bancroft Street, suite 273, Oakland. Read more

2/21/04:Dead Prez and Oakland's Education Not Incarceration came together in the wake of five planned school closures in Oakland, as tensions have continued to build in the Bay Area around the overall poor quality of existing schools and the prison-track they put many poor students on. In addition, though the state continues to alledge there are too many teachers in an attempt to cut resources, many schools barely have enough teachers, let alone seats for their students to study in. The next organizing meeting for Education Not Incarceration is this Monday, the 23rd of February.
"Man that school shit is a joke/ The same people who control the school system control the prison system, and the whole social system. Ever since slavery, nawsayin?"
— Dead Prez

On February 4, parents, teachers, students, community members and their supporters rallied outside the state office building in Oakland to fight the projected closure of five public schools. The closures would force approximately 1,000 students to travel long distances from their homes to new, already over crowded, schools. Working parents would have to fear for the safety of their children who will have to cross some of Oakland' busiest streets if the closures take place. Each of the schools is part of Oakland's "small schools" program, implemented by the community in 1999 to help raise student achievement levels. All five schools have raised their test scores over the past three years.
Photos | Steps You Can Take To Stop the Closures | Education not Incarceration

2/20/2004: A rally in support of accessible education at all levels was held Friday, February 20 in Cesar Chavez Park in downtown San Jose Photos
Community College fees are being raised to $26 per unit after being raised from $12 to $18 per unit just last year. Students with a Bachelor’s degree that are returning to college will now pay $50 per unit under the Schwarzenegger budget plan. Proposition 98 guarantee has been suspended and K-14 schools are getting will now pay 40% more for school and middle-income students will be offered less financial aid. Read More...
Community Colleges are planning a huge march to Sacramento on March 15 to protest these fee hikes and budget cuts.