Berkeley

Assemblymen Rob Bonta, Tony Thurmond to Call for Charter School Accountability

Published

8 years ago

May 14, 2017

Shown (L to R): Assemblyman Tony Thurmond, Assemblyman Rob Bonta and Oakland Education Association President Trish Gorham.

Lawmakers, parents, educators, students, and community organizations joined Assembly Members Rob Bonta and Tony Thurmond at a rally at Oakland Technical High School last week to support bills to ensure corporate charter schools are accountable, transparent and providing unbiased access to all students.

Proposed legislation includes: AB 699 by Assembly Member Patrick O’Donnell that would help safeguard our immigrant students; and charter-related legislation SB 808 by Sen. Tony Mendoza, AB 1478 by Assembly Member Reggie Jones-Sawyer, and AB 1360 by Assembly Member Rob Bonta, which address of many of the charter schools’ injustices and fraudulent practices that are reportedly impacting California students.

“AB 1360 provides equal opportunity for our students by ensuring they have fair access to learning opportunities in all publicly funded California schools,” Assembly Member Bonta said. “Our young people must not be disadvantaged or pushed out of learning environments through unfair admissions policies or disciplinary rules. AB 1360 puts our children first.”

“Community schooling is an innovative and creative way to address the academic, social and community development of a child, by ensuring that they are connected to critical support systems such as high-quality instruction, health, housing, early education and afterschool programming,” Assembly Member Thurmond said. “Our school districts, local governments, and community partners coming together in collaboration will ensure the success of all our students.”

Trish Gorham, president of the Oakland Education Association, said these are uncertain times for public education. “The goal of President Trump and Education Secretary Betsy DeVos and their billionaire buddies is to starve our public schools, then label them as failures, then privatize them,” Gorham said. “Our California Alliance for Community Schools is pushing back with our goals to protect public education now and for the future.”

Brianna Carroll, a California Virtual Academies high school teacher and president of the California Virtual Educators United, also spoke out at the rally. “It is important that resources are used to provide our students with the education they deserve. That has been a real struggle at my charter school. Legislation that ensures accountability, transparency, and local control will protect students in all of our schools.”

In support of AB 1478, Dr. Julian Vasquez Heilig, a professor of Educational Leadership and Policy Studies and the Director of the Doctorate in Educational Leadership at California State University-Sacramento, said, “We have a legislative opportunity to give charter supporters the transparency and accountability that they say in public they support, but still ask the California Charter Schools Association to spend millions of dollars to oppose.”

Oakland Unified school board member Jody London said the bills would increase local control of charter schools. “Local school boards know best the needs of their communities. These bills recognize the importance of local control.”

Last Friday’s rally event was one of 10 rallies and delegations that took place in Los Angeles, San Diego and the Bay Area to urge legislators to publicly support the charter school accountability bills in Sacramento.

The events were sponsored by the California Alliance for Community Schools – a new, statewide network of community organizations and teachers’ unions committed to adequately funding public education, lowering class sizes, making schools safe havens for all, and meaningful shared decision-making, along with ensuring charter schools are accountable to our communities.

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Bay Area

Progressive Missionary Baptist Church of Berkeley Celebrates 90th Anniversary

Dr. Earl C. Stuckey, Sr., who has served as Progressive Missionary’s pastor since September 1977, said the church also delights in the fact that it has hosted only five pastors in its 90-year history, including Pastors James E. Moore, H. A. Green, F. Douglas Farrell, and Edward Stovall, who served for 37 years.

Published

2 weeks ago

May 16, 2025

Oakland Post

Progressive Missionary Baptist Poster. Dr. Earl C. Stuckey, Sr., Pastor of Progressive Missionary Baptist Church in Berkeley with his wife, Kay Frances Stuckey.

By Oakland Post Staff

The Progressive Missionary Baptist Church of Berkeley is celebrating its 90th church anniversary on Sunday, May 18 at 10 a.m. at 3301 King Street in Berkeley.

The celebration will feature Pastor Darnell Manuel of the Union Baptist Church in Vallejo as guest speaker, along with many other special presentations.

Those who wish to share in Progressive’s history can purchase a 100-page full-colored souvenir book for $25.

The church boasts a number of notable people who either regularly attended or became members of the church since its inception, including former Alameda County Supervisor Keith Carson, Oakland mayoral candidate Loren Taylor, and one of the organizers of the Gospel Music Workshop of America, Helen J. H. Stephens.

Pastor Stuckey often remarks how longevity flourishes at the church — it boasts 13 centenarians (people who have reached 100 years or more). Currently, it has one centenarian who is still surviving, Mrs. Dorothy Chambers, and 14 members who have reached 90 years or more.

Recently, on Feb.17, the pastor and his wife Kay Frances, celebrated their 73rd wedding anniversary.

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Activism

Faces Around the Bay: Author Karen Lewis Took the ‘Detour to Straight Street’

“My life has been a roller-coaster with an unlimited ride wristband! I was raised in Berkeley during the time of Ron Dellums, the Black Panthers, and People’s Park. I was a Hippie kid, my Auntie cut off all our hair so we could wear the natural styles like her and Angela Davis.

Published

1 month ago

April 28, 2025

Oakland Post

Karen Lewis. Courtesy photo.

By Barbara Fluhrer

I met Karen Lewis on a park bench in Berkeley. She wrote her story on the spot.

I got married young, then ended up getting divorced, raising two boys into men. After my divorce, I had a stroke that left me blind and paralyzed. I was homeless, lost in a fog with blurred vision.

Jesus healed me! I now have two beautiful grandkids. At 61, this age and this stage, I am finally free indeed. Our Lord Jesus Christ saved my soul. I now know how to be still. I lay at his feet. I surrender and just rest. My life and every step on my path have already been ordered. So, I have learned in this life…it’s nice to be nice. No stressing, just blessings. Pray for the best and deal with the rest.

Nobody is perfect, so forgive quickly and love easily!”

Lewis’ book “Detour to Straight Street” is available on Amazon.

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Activism

Golden State Warriors Program Is Inspiring Next Generation of Female Engineers

Breaking down barriers and biases that deter young girls from pursuing STEAM subjects is essential for creating a level playing field and ensuring equal opportunities for all. By challenging stereotypes and promoting a culture of inclusivity and diversity in STEAM fields, experts believe young girls can be empowered to pursue their interests and aspirations without limitations confidently. Encouraging mentorship, providing access to resources, and celebrating girls’ achievements in STEAM are all crucial steps in creating a supportive environment that fosters success.

Published

2 months ago

March 23, 2025

Oakland Post

Front Row: UC Berkeley Steel Bridge Team Back Row: Girls, Inc. Participants. Photo courtesy of the Golden State Warriors.

By Y’Anad Burrell

The Golden State Warriors and e-commerce giant Rakuten are joining forces to inspire the next generation of female engineers through Building STEAM Futures, part of The City Calls campaign.

Organizers say the initiative is founded on the idea that science, technology, engineering, arts, and mathematics (STEAM) are crucial fields for innovation and progress, and empowering young girls to pursue careers in these areas is more important than ever. Studies consistently show that girls are underrepresented in STEAM fields, resulting in a gender disparity that limits potential and hinders diversity.

On Saturday, March 8, International Women’s Day, the Warriors and Rakuten hosted 20 middle school girls from Girls Inc. of Alameda County at Chase Center’s Above the Rim for a hands-on bridge-building experience. The young girls from Girls, Inc. of Alameda County had an opportunity to design, build and test their own bridge prototypes and learn the fundamentals of bridge construction from the Engineering Alliance and the UC Berkeley Steel Bridge Team.

This STEAM experience for the girls followed the first session in January, where they took a behind-the-scenes tour of the Golden Gate Bridge, learning about its design and construction from industry experts. The City Calls campaign, tipped off with the unveiling the Warriors’ new bridge-themed City Edition jerseys and court design earlier this year.