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UID:Indybay-57433
SEQUENCE:57433
CREATED:20050208T103200Z
DESCRIPTION:  February 1, 2005  Dear Labor, Interfaith and/or Community Leader,  This 
 is an invitation for you to attend the second major community meeting 
 sponsored by the Oakland Education Association (OEA) to discuss the crisis 
 in Oakland’s schools and how we take action together to preserve public 
 education in Oakland.   The meeting will occur on Wednesday, February 16, 
 2005, from 5:00 pm to 8 pm at Cox Elementary School.  It will be building 
 up to a larger town hall meeting that will occur in early March.  Our first 
 meeting brought together a wide range of leaders from Oakland, including 
 school board members, labor leaders, teachers, parent leaders, youth 
 leaders, community organizations, and interfaith leaders.   We are excited 
 to build upon this success.  As you know, Oakland’s schools are in 
 crisis.  The State of California is operating our District under State 
 Superintendent O’Connell’s supervision.  The State is working to 
 undermine the existence of unified public education in our city.  For the 
 second year in a row, they are proposing to shut down schools in 
 Oakland’s poorest neighborhoods, which will keep students attending 
 large, over-crowded schools and force young students to travel outside 
 their neighborhoods to attend school.  In 2005 we also face the potential 
 negative impact of the “No Child Left Behind Act” as 13 Oakland schools 
 become open to “Requests for Proposals” from private charter companies 
 and other organizations who do not have the skills and experience needed to 
 provide for Oakland’s children.   At the same time we have an opportunity 
 to create alliances between teachers and parents to restructure these 
 schools as part of OUSD and demand better opportunities for our children.  
 We must seize this moment to make this alternative vision a reality.  At 
 the same time that our schools are being challenged with charters and 
 privatization, the State is also threatening to take away basic rights for 
 Oakland school employees.  Good learning conditions are needed for 
 qualified employees to stay within the Oakland schools and provide quality 
 education for our children.  The State is looking to cap school 
 employees’ health care coverage and take away specialty classes (such as 
 art and music) from Oakland’s children.  O’Connell and Dr. Randolph 
 Ward are seeking to cut our already understaffed counselors, librarians, 
 home and hospital, and alternative educators.  Their attacks also go deep 
 into our schools’ food workers and custodians, as well as aides and 
 substitutes.  It is time for us to take a stand for the future of 
 Oakland’s children!  Please join us on Wednesday, February 16, 2005, from 
 5:00 pm to 8:00 pm at Cox Elementary School, 9860 Sunnyside Street at 98th 
 Avenue and Bancroft.  Refreshments and childcare will be provided.  Please 
 RSVP to me at (510) 763-4020 x15.  Sincerely,  Ben Visnick  President, 
 Oakland Education Association  c: 	OEA Executive Board							pg/cor/012705c 
  \n https://www.indybay.org/newsitems/2005/02/08/57433.php
SUMMARY:Community Meeting on the Crisis in Oakland Schools
LOCATION:Cox Elementary School, 9860 Sunnyside Street at 98th Avenue and Bancroft 
 (near the 98th Ave Exit off Route 580)
URL:https://www.indybay.org/newsitems/2005/02/08/57433.php
DTSTART:20050217T010000Z
DTEND:20050217T040000Z
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