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Indybay Feature

OEA & BAMN Protest State Takeover of Oakland Unified Schools

by Curly (greexacan [at] yahoo.com)
12/14/05 - The struggle continues for the Oakland Educators Association (OEA) and student activists from Coalition to Defend Affirmative Action, Integration, & Immigrant Rights And Fight for Equality By Any Means Necessary (BAMN) in their fight against ruthless state administrator Randolph Ward. He is the dictator at the OUSD School Board Meeting. The meeting was on the issue of adding a new Charter School to West Oakland.
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12/14/05
Over 200 Oakland teachers and students rallied in front of the OUSD office this afternoon, after school today in protest to the ruthless union-busting and anti-student practices of State Administrator Randolph Ward. Practically all of the students present were from the civil rights group: Coalition to Defend Affirmative Action, Integration, & Immigrant Rights And Fight for Equality By Any Means Necessary (BAMN), a group who has been leading the student movement for years to demand equal quality education for OUSD and all schools.
"Dr. Ward" has kept the OUSD teachers union (OEA) without a contract for 18 months while all upper level administrators have gotten raises. HE HAS NOW THREATENED TO PLACE ADS IN BAY AREA PAPERS OFFERING UNCREDENTIALED REPLACEMENT WORKERS FOR $300 A DAY TO TEACH OAKLAND STUDENTS IN THE EVENT OF A STRIKE!!! These kinds of threats are not going to help anything, and surely they are not going to lead to any kind of progress in the union negotiating.
So instead of giving teachers their 4% back pay that they lost in 2003, Mr. Ward is threatening to waste OUSD money to pay for scabs as oppoed to investing in the students. As teachers and other union workers know, opening charter schools is a political tactic to weaken and break unions. Anybody with money and a plan can propose a charter school project. Of the 30 charter schools in the area, only 2 of them are satisfactory.
Charter schools are not union shops which means they can hire and fire as they choose, isolating the worker with no rights against the managment. The fight continues to remove Randolph Ward and to get a fair contract for the OEA teachers. Their backs are against the door, they need a contract NOW!
§OEA Banners
by Curly (greexacan [at] yahoo.com)
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There is tons of money in Oakland, the OEA is making an example of the port dollars.
§BAMN student-activists
by Curly (greexacan [at] yahoo.com)
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These activists are great, they show up to most of the OEA events, showing respect for their teachers and dedication to an equal education.
§Save Enrichment to Oakland Schools
by Curly (greexacan [at] yahoo.com)
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State Administrator Randolph Ward is cutting art, music, athletics, libraries, and science curriculum from the poorest students in the state.
§Randolph the Ruthless
by Curly (greexacan [at] yahoo.com)
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When the Oakland techers marched in he immidiately called a recess, and then left for 45 minutes.
§The troops are ready for battle
by Curly (greexacan [at] yahoo.com)
Copy the code below to embed this movie into a web page:
OEA and BAMN march into the Oakland Unified School District Building towards the Board of Education meeting.
Add Your Comments

Comments (Hide Comments)
by marilyn perez age 11 (http://www.truestar232)
I think that this is a really dumb idea to separate different races after all that martin luther king and many others that fought for our civil rights?
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