urgent: SSJCD needs help, tech equip

Greetings Community,

The School of Social Justice and Community Development
needs your help.

Between March 29th and April 6th our School was cleaned out of all of its technical equipment. Given the financial crisis our district is in (let alone the state of funding for schools in general in California) and the very limited support we receive from foundations and private donors, we presently do not posses the resources to replace these items, all of which are essential to the operation of our program and the education of our students and community.


You can help us by:

1) Donating equipment

2) Forwarding this email to your contact and support lists to elicit their aid.

3) Forwarding this email to foundation and corporate boards that you may be on or have contact with to elicit their aid.

If you have any questions or would like more information please contact us at (510) 879-8559 or (510) 301-8105.

In Unity and Struggle,

Kali

SSJCD Director and Co-Founder


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School of Social Justice and Community Development

Wish List

Immediate Needs

Here is a list of the bare essentials we need in order to keep our academic programs operating.

-6 Large Televisions
-6 VCRs
-6 DVDs
-16 Computers and monitors
-3 Digital Video Cameras
-3 Digital Cameras
-2 LCD Projectors
-8 Laptop Computers
-6 Overhead Projectors
-3 Digital Audio Recorders
-6 Locked Cabinets
-Science Equipment

All of the aforementioned items were stolen from us between Monday, March 29th and Tuesday, April 6th.


Developmental Needs

As part of our mid-term development plans, we aim to have all of the following operating by the 2005-2006 school year.

1. A student operated Community Radio Station

2. A Digital Arts and Design Computer Lab

3. A Digital Video Production Lab

Given our limited funds, the vast majority of the equipment needed to operate the radio station and the Arts and Production labs will have to be donated. If you, your company, foundation, or corporate organization can donate equipment or funds to help us in this effort please contact us immediately at (510) 879-8559.


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Thieves wipe out school's technical gear
Five burglaries leave small East Oakland campus without TVs,

By Alex Katz

STAFF WRITER
Oakland Tribune

http://www.oaklandtribune.com/Stories/0,1413,82%257E1726%257E2070694,00.html?search=filter


Thursday, April 08, 2004 - OAKLAND -- Burglars have hit a small high school in East Oakland five times in seven days, methodically taking everything from television sets to art supplies and leaving the school with almost no equipment, school officials said Wednesday.

The School of Social Justice and Community Development has had several break-ins this year. But there were no major losses until last week, when burglars stole several TVs during a March 29 holiday, school director Kali Akuno said.

Thieves were back almost every night between the first break-in and Monday to steal computers, overhead projectors, DVD players and even cleaning supplies, Akuno said.

"We've been cleaned out," Akuno said. "We have no technology here."

There was apparently no sign of forced entry during the first few break-ins, and some speculation that the thefts were an inside job.

"It appeared at first it was somebody who had a key," Akuno said.

The school district changed the locks Thursday, but burglars forced the lock on one classroom and stole more equipment, he said.

There was still one computer bolted to a table in a classroom Wednesday.

Another computer had been torn off the table, and a printer smashed on the floor.

The School of Social Justice, a small, alternative high school known for radical politics, recruits students who have dropped out or are on probation.

The Middle East Children's Alliance donated three computers to the school Wednesday, Akuno said.

Student "Buddha" Centers, 16, said he did not believe the break-ins were an inside job.

"I think it's just some random person who knows when the school is closed," he said, adding, "Whoever took (the equipment) affected this whole school."

Another student accused the school district of stealing the equipment in an attempt to sabotage the school.

The school has had a somewhat rocky relationship with the district. Even before the school opened in 2002, leaders fought with the district over where the campus would be and when it would open.

The school found a temporary home at the Allen Temple Baptist Church in East Oakland, but was evicted after clashes over student behavior and church rules.

Students are now in portable classrooms in back of Castlemont High School.

The district is building a permanent campus on the site. Oakland Police Lt. Howard Jordan said investigators do not have any leads.

School break-ins are common in Oakland. There were a number of break-ins last month at campuses such as Fremont High School, Oakland Technical High School and Franklin Elementary School.

Undercover officers have been assigned to stake out some campuses, Jordan said.

"We've caught a few people, but (school burglaries have been) fairly prevalent in the last month or so," he said.

Last year, one stolen computer was returned to the district by a woman who said she bought the machine from someone in San
Francisco. >>

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"Love is the key to the problems of the world." -MLK