Oakland

Op-Ed: Setting the Record Straight on OUSD Principal Transitions

Published

10 years ago

April 14, 2016

By Supt. Antwan Wilson

Last week this paper ran a story entitled “Oakland Schools in Turmoil as District Threatens to Remove 17 Principals.” This is completely false, and this number was not confirmed with us before publishing. I was shocked and dismayed to see it reported – incorrectly – that we, OUSD, are planning to remove 17 principals. I am writing to set the record straight and provide some context for the real challenges we need to face together.

For next year, there are 5 official principals who received a notice of possible reassignment, nowhere near 17. The notices referred to in the article are something required by state law to be provided every year by March 15 to any leadership potentially reassigned. For comparison, the year before I came to Oakland, there were 20 such notices given to principals. These numbers demonstrate that we have not engaged in massive reassignment of principals as suggested in last week’s article.

Principal turnover is an issue that is of concern to us in the district and me specifically. We want to minimize turnover as much as possible. We also recognize that there will be factors that lead to us losing leaders, some out of our control and others related to systems that we are in the process of improving, such as operational systems that have been an issue for decades.

I’m proud to work with our many great school leaders. We are committed to working with new leaders by growing with them and investing in their leadership. The changes we seek require strong leaders and leadership teams made up of principals, assistant principals (when applicable), teacher leaders, parent and community leaders, and student leaders. There will be times we have to make changes to school leadership. When that happens, we will work to make sure we are lifting up the needs of the students and what’s best for the district. It is important that as we do this work that we provide accurate information about what we are doing and how.

As a former principal myself, I know how important school leaders are. I also know how pivotal they can be when we need to turn-around our schools. We need to do this in multiple schools across the District. In places where change is under way, we are giving principals more supports and resources to produce Continued from page 1 some results before considering any leadership changes.

Finally, to mix in the issue of Proposition 39 offers of unused or underutilized public school space to public charter schools is unfair and inappropriate. The Prop. 39 process tends to coincide every year with the March 15 legal deadline for noticing certificated leadership of potential reassignment or removal. There’s no connection, other than circumstantial. Also, it is true that where schools have been underperforming for years, students and parents are likely voting with their feet and taking kids to other District, private, or charter schools, often thereby creating a bunch of empty classrooms that we then, by law, must offer to charter schools that request space. The cause and effect, however, are the reverse of what was insinuated in the article.

We face challenges every year as we try to change course by providing high quality education to ensure that Every Student Thrives. If you know of any great potential school leaders out there, please send them our way!

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Related Topics:Antwan Wilson OUSD principal transitions

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OP-ED: AB 1349 Puts Corporate Power Over Community

Since Ticketmaster and Live Nation merged in 2010, ticket prices have jumped more than 150 percent. Activities that once fit a family’s budget now take significant disposable income that most working families simply don’t have. The problem is compounded by a system that has tilted access toward the wealthy and white-collar workers. If you have a fancy credit card, you get “presale access,” and if you work in an office instead of a warehouse, you might be able to wait in an online queue to buy a ticket. Access now means privilege.

Published

1 week ago

January 9, 2026

Oakland Post

Bishop Joseph Simmons, Senior Pastor, Greater St. Paul Baptist Church, Oakland

By Bishop Joseph Simmons, Senior Pastor, Greater St. Paul Baptist Church, Oakland

As a pastor, I believe in the power that a sense of community can have on improving people’s lives. Live events are one of the few places where people from different backgrounds and ages can share the same space and experience – where construction workers sit next to lawyers at a concert, and teenagers enjoy a basketball game with their grandparents. Yet, over the past decade, I’ve witnessed these experiences – the concerts, games, and cultural events where we gather – become increasingly unaffordable, and it is a shame.

These moments of connection matter as they form part of the fabric that holds communities together. But that fabric is fraying because of Ticketmaster/Live Nation’s unchecked control over access to live events. Unfortunately, AB 1349 would only further entrench their corporate power over our spaces.

Power over live events is concentrated in a single corporate entity, and this regime operates without transparency or accountability – much like a dictator. Ticketmaster controls 80 percent of first-sale tickets and nearly a third of resale tickets, but they still want more. More power, more control for Ticketmaster means higher prices and less access for consumers. It’s the agenda they are pushing nationally, with the help of former Trump political operatives, who are quietly trying to undo the antitrust lawsuit launched against Ticketmaster/Live Nation under President Biden’s DOJ.

That’s why I’m deeply concerned about AB 1349 in its current form. Rather than reining in Ticketmaster’s power, the bill risks strengthening it, aligning with Trump. AB 1349 gives Ticketmaster the ability to control a consumer’s ticket forever by granting Ticketmaster’s regime new powers in state law to prevent consumers from reselling or giving away their tickets. It also creates new pathways for Ticketmaster to discriminate and retaliate against consumers who choose to shop around for the best service and fees on resale platforms that aren’t yet controlled by Ticketmaster. These provisions are anti-consumer and anti-democratic.

California has an opportunity to stand with consumers, to demand transparency, and to restore genuine competition in this industry. But that requires legislation developed with input from the community and faith leaders, not proposals backed by the very company causing the harm.

Will our laws reflect fairness, inclusion, and accountability? Or will we let corporate interests tighten their grip on spaces that should belong to everyone? I, for one, support the former and encourage the California Legislature to reject AB 1349 outright or amend it to remove any provisions that expand Ticketmaster’s control. I also urge community members to contact their representatives and advocate for accessible, inclusive live events for all Californians. Let’s work together to ensure these gathering spaces remain open and welcoming to everyone, regardless of income or background.

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Oakland Post: Week of December 31, 2025 – January 6, 2026

The printed Weekly Edition of the Oakland Post: Week of – December 31, 2025 – January 6, 2026

Published

2 weeks ago

January 2, 2026

Oakland Post

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Big God Ministry Gives Away Toys in Marin City

Pastor Hall also gave a message of encouragement to the crowd, thanking Jesus for the “best year of their lives.” He asked each of the children what they wanted to be when they grow up.

Published

3 weeks ago

December 29, 2025

Oakland Post

From top left: Pastor David Hall asking the children what they want to be when they grow up. Worship team Jake Monaghan, Ruby Friedman, and Keri Carpenter. Children lining up to receive their presents. Photos by Godfrey Lee.

By Godfrey Lee

Big God Ministries, pastored by David Hall, gave toys to the children in Marin City on Monday, Dec. 15, on the lawn near the corner of Drake Avenue and Donahue Street.

Pastor Hall also gave a message of encouragement to the crowd, thanking Jesus for the “best year of their lives.” He asked each of the children what they wanted to be when they grew up.

Around 75 parents and children were there to receive the presents, which consisted mainly of Gideon Bibles, Cat in the Hat pillows, Barbie dolls, Tonka trucks, and Lego building sets.

A half dozen volunteers from the Big God Ministry, including Donnie Roary, helped to set up the tables for the toy giveaway. The worship music was sung by Ruby Friedman, Keri Carpenter, and Jake Monaghan, who also played the accordion.

Big God Ministries meets on Sundays at 10 a.m. at the Mill Valley Community Center, 180 Camino Alto, Mill Valley, CA Their phone number is (415) 797-2567.