Bay Area

Parents and Teachers, “Pushed, Choked, Clubbed,” and Arrested, Said OEA

Published

5 years ago

October 24, 2019

A crowd of parents, students and teachers chanted “Oakland in not for Sale” as six parents and teachers were arrested Wednesday Oct. 23 at the Oakland school board meeting protesting the closing of Oakland schools.

Several of the protesters were knocked down and had their arms twisted behind their backs. One of the protesters, Saru Jayaraman, was injured and taken to a hospital to X-ray her knee. She said the police joked that there was nothing wrong with her, until the doctor arrived, noted the seriousness of the injuries and told them to leave the room. She is now in a cast.

In preparation for expected protests at the board meeting, the district had set up a metal railing between the board dais and the public and stationing about a dozen officers between the railing and where the board was seated.

When parents jumped the railing in civil disobedience, police responded by chaotically, wrestling them to the ground, twisting arms and handcuffing them.

The arrestees were told they would be taken to Santa Rita jail. However, they were taken to the district’s police station at Cole Elementary, cited and released. District spokesperson John Sasaki directed the police actions, according to one of the arrestees.

In a statement issued Wednesday night, district Sasaki said “This is the third board meeting in a row that protestors have disrupted (the fourth, if you count the joint city council-school board meeting that was disrupted by the protesters on Monday, Oct. 21.

“When the protesters jumped over and pushed over the barriers, the safety of the board directors and staff could no longer be guaranteed and the board moved the meeting upstairs pursuant to the Brown Act.”

In a statement released the day after the incident, the Oakland Education Association (OEA) said that OUSD police “pushed, choked and clubbed peaceful elementary school educators who were protesting school closures.” The press release goes on to blame the OUSD Board of Directors and Superintendent Johnson-Trammell for being “responsible for setting the stage for this violence by erecting barricades, and for the actions of their police force.”

The continuing protests are growing out of the school district administration and board to close schools in accord with the demands of the state and its agents at the Alameda County Office of Education and the non-elected Fiscal Crisis Management and Assistance Team (FCMAT).

Last school year, the district closed Roots Academy in East Oakland, sending a large number of students to Oakland SOL, which will close at the end of this school year. The district also recently decided to close Kaiser Elementary School – a high performing multiracial school in the Oakland hills – sparking a wave of parent organizing to oppose all school closures.

Ken Epstein

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Activism

Barbara Lee Launches Campaign for Mayor of Oakland

“At this critical moment, we must not be a city divided, but a community united,” she Lee. “If elected I will bring my hands-on leadership, new ideas and decades of experience in identifying billions in resources for our great city, so all residents and businesses are stronger and safer and our community has optimism and confidence in Oakland’s future.”

Published

2 days ago

January 8, 2025

Oakland Post

By Post Staff

Barbara Lee on Wednesday morning formally announced her candidacy for Mayor in Oakland’s April 15 special election.

“Time and time again, Oaklanders have faced our toughest obstacles by uniting to meet our challenges,” said Lee.

“At this critical moment, we must not be a city divided but a community united,” she said. “If elected, I will bring my hands-on leadership, new ideas, and decades of experience in identifying billions in resources for our great city so all residents and businesses are stronger and safer and our community has optimism and confidence in Oakland’s future.”

“As Mayor, I’ll address our homelessness crisis, prioritize comprehensive public safety and mental health services, and lead with fiscal responsibility to deliver the core City services residents and business owners deserve. Let’s do this – together.”

“I’ve never shied away from a challenge,” said Lee. “I’m always ready to fight for Oakland.”

Watch her campaign video here, which is online at BarbaraLee4Oakland.com

Oakland Post

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Activism

Who Wants to Be the Next Elected Mayor of Oakland?

The Oakland Post is issuing a CALL to all candidates to present their answers, plans, or solutions in response to our list of questions.

Published

3 days ago

January 7, 2025

Oakland Post

An aerial view of the downtown Oakland skyline on a clear sunny day. The federal building and other iconic buildings fill the skyline. Photo: iStock.

By Paul Cobb

Many of you probably recall the oft-repeated expression when describing leadership that “many are called but few are chosen.” We will be inundated during January with many claims of qualifications by those who want to lead Oakland.

As of Jan. 1, 2025, we have heard the names of 14 potential candidates who might become Oakland’s next Mayor.

The Oakland Post is issuing a CALL to all candidates to present their answers, plans, or solutions in response to our list of questions.

Any candidate who wishes to receive a free announcement, publicity or space in the paper must submit solutions.

The first questions we propose are 1) What is your budget balancing plan?
What is your position on requiring all city employees to work full-time in their designated offices rather than remotely from their homes?
What is your plan to provide open-access opportunities to all police officers for overtime pay?
Since many businesses, especially downtown, have closed, what is your plan to attract and increase revenues?

Please send your submissions of 300 words or less to each question to Social@postnewsgroup.com or visit www.postnewsgroup.com

Oakland Post

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Activism

Oakland NAACP President Stands on the Frontlines for Equity

With education as a cornerstone, Adams emphasized the importance of youth having access to quality kindergarten through 12th-grade education along with college or vocational programming beyond high school. “I feel that it’s so important for our children to get a good education in K-12th grade, along with the colleges of their choice, especially with the HBCU’s (Historically Black Colleges and Universities).”

Published

3 days ago

January 7, 2025

Oakland Post

NAACP Oakland President Cynthia Adams. Photo Courtesy of Cynthia Adams.

By Carla Thomas

For Cynthia Adams, president of the Oakland chapter of the NAACP, fighting for the rights of Black people comes naturally. With southern roots in Arkansas, Adams experienced firsthand the injustice and unfairness of racism.

“Growing up in the Jim Crow South, I experienced the unfair treatment of people of color and how faith can inspire communities to bring about positive and long-lasting change,” said Adams. Adams says a combination of her family and faith has kept her strong in the face of adversity and inspired her life’s work of advocacy.

Adams chose education as a career path — and a means to achieve equity and overcome racism. She earned her bachelor’s degree at the University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff and later received an advanced degree from California State East Bay.

Adams’ experience as an Oakland Unified School District (OUSD) recorder, a counselor, a researcher, and a college recruiter has allowed her to be laser-focused on youth. She also served as the chairperson for the Oakland NAACP youth.

“The mission of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People is to ensure the political, educational, social, and economic equality of rights of all persons and to eliminate race-based discrimination. We want to ensure our citizens have equal rights and opportunities without discrimination based on race.”

As a partner with the State of California’s Stop the Hate campaign, Adams says the initiative is a step in the right direction. “It’s great that our governor and state created the Stop the Hate campaign and provides resources for victims of racism and other hate crimes,” said Adams. “The racism toward Black people has increased and our children are being targeted,” she continued.

“We, at the Oakland branch, created a declaration on racism that will amplify the needs of our community to combat racism,” continued Adams. “That declaration was adopted nationally.”

Bridging communities and collaborating is also a strategy for moving society toward justice, according to Adams.

“Through the NAACP, we build connections between communities and advocate for the rights of historically marginalized and oppressed individuals,” said Adams. “Collective action is the only way to advance civil rights and promote social equity.”

By taking stands on supporting former Oakland Police Chief LeRonne Armstrong to supporting the recall of a mayor faced with a scandal that brought negative national press to the city of Oakland, Adams has always demanded more for her people, and better for Oakland, the city she calls home.

She expressed pride in the national organization’s announcement of a $200 million fund designed to empower Black funders nationwide. “We all know the health of a community begins with economics,” said Adams.

Adams says that strengthening Black businesses automatically sustains a community. “We’ve also got to educate our community on opportunities and teach our children critical thinking so that they can provide the next generation of solutions for society,” said Adams.