City Government
School Activists Question Mayor’s Appointment of New Education Advisor
Local school activists are questioning Mayor Libby Schaaf’s decision to appoint David Silver as a chief policy advisor on education, criticizing her for paying for the position with money donated by non-profits that have a record of working to expand local charters schools at the expense of public education.
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A number of people see her approach as setting a dangerous precedent.
“I personally have nothing against David – I do not question his integrity or his passion for Oakland students, “said Oakland Education Association (OEA) President Trish Gorham.
“I do question paying the salary of someone with private money that comes with a very clear agenda, using that money to pay for someone who is going to help shape public policy,” she said.
Mayor Schaaf announced Silver’s appointment on June 11, funded through “a multi-year partnership” with the Oakland Public Education Fund, made up The Rainin Foundation, New Schools Venture Fund, The Rogers Family Foundation and The Packard Foundation.
New Schools Venture Fund is an organization associated with the national movement for corporate-driven school reform of public education, accused by opponents of backing policies that seek untapped investment opportunities and to unleash hidden markets embedded in public schools.
The Rogers Family Foundation, which is closely connected to the nonprofit Great Oakland (GO) Public Schools and helped found the Oakland Public Education Fund, has long been associated with efforts to expand the role of charter schools in the Oakland Unified School District (OUSD) and decrease of the influence the teachers’ union and of unionized teachers.
“The Rogers Foundation, New Schools Venture Fund -what see in Oakland and other urban school districts is that foundations may have started out to help a district pay for its projects, but now they come in with money and their own projects and their own agenda, their own point of view and their own expectations of outcomes,” said Gorham.
“I don’t think David Silver is going to forestall a privatizing education agenda,” she said.
In her June 11 media release, Schaaf praised Silver for his ability to create equity and help students succeed in colleges and careers.
“(He) has demonstrated a unique ability to pursue and implement strategies to ensure Oakland students succeed in school — with a special focus on correcting unacceptable disparities for underserved communities,” she said.
“I am committed to ensuring that David has the resources and support to transform my vision of a cradle to career pipeline into reality,” she said.
Despite these powerful words, school activists expressed their misgivings.
“The Rogers foundation continues to use its money to leverage policy. It’s shocking that the Mayor’s Office in our city would allow its policy to be bought and paid for,” said Mike Hutchinson.
Added community activist and longtime educator Pam Drake, “I’ve been writing about this on Facebook and Twitter. The language they are using covers up what is really going on. Rodgers and New Schools Ventures are definitely privatizing organizations.”
Silver spoke earlier this year at a school board meeting in support of OUSD Supt. Antwan Wilson’s policy to allow charter schools to apply to run five Oakland schools, including Castlemont, McClymonds and Fremont High schools. Speaking in opposition were angry groups of students, parents and community members from the schools.
Ultimately, no charters turned in an application to operate the schools.
Silver until recently served as chief executive officer of College Track, a national non-profit that helps students from underserved communities to graduate from college.
He also helped found and lead Think College Now, a public elementary school in Oakland.
“I have worked in education in Oakland since 1997, and I have never been more optimistic than today,” he said. “We have incredible students, dedicated teachers and principals, committed families and community partners, as well as a mayor, superintendent, and School Board with a powerful vision of educational equity, and models of successful schools. This is our time.”
Silver has a degree from UCLA and a master’s degree from Harvard. He lives in the Laurel District with his wife and son.
Activism
Oakland Post: Week of June 4 – 10, 2025
The printed Weekly Edition of the Oakland Post: Week of June 4-10, 2025

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Activism
Remembering George Floyd
BLACKPRESSUSA NEWSWIRE — Minnesota State Attorney General Keith Ellison acknowledges that the Floyd case five years ago involved a situation in which due process was denied, and five years later, the president is currently dismissing “due process. “The Minnesota Atty General also says, “Trump is trying to attack constitutional rule, attacking congressional authority and judicial decision-making.” George Floyd was an African American man killed by police who knocked on his neck and on his back, preventing him from breathing.

By April Ryan
BlackPressUSA Newswire
“The president’s been very clear he has no intentions of pardoning Derek Chauvin, and it’s not a request that we’re looking at,” confirms a senior staffer at the Trump White House. That White House response results from public hope, including from a close Trump ally, Georgia Congresswoman Marjorie Taylor Greene. The timing of Greene’s hopes coincides with the Justice Department’s recent decision to end oversight of local police accused of abuse. It also falls on the fifth anniversary of the police-involved death of George Floyd on May 25th. The death sparked national and worldwide outrage and became a transitional moment politically and culturally, although the outcry for laws on police accountability failed.
The death forced then-Democratic presidential candidate Joe Biden to focus on deadly police force and accountability. His efforts while president to pass the George Floyd Justice in policing act failed. The death of George Floyd also put a spotlight on the Black community, forcing then-candidate Biden to choose a Black woman running mate. Kamala Harris ultimately became vice president of the United States alongside Joe Biden. Minnesota State Attorney General Keith Ellison prosecuted the cases against the officers involved in the death of Floyd. He remembers,” Trump was in office when George Floyd was killed, and I would blame Trump for creating a negative environment for police-community relations. Remember, it was him who said when the looting starts, the shooting starts, it was him who got rid of all the consent decrees that were in place by the Obama administration.”
In 2025, Police-involved civilian deaths are up by “about 100 to about 11 hundred,” according to Ellison. Ellison acknowledges that the Floyd case five years ago involved a situation in which due process was denied, and five years later, the president is currently dismissing “due process. “The Minnesota Atty General also says, “Trump is trying to attack constitutional rule, attacking congressional authority and judicial decision-making.” George Floyd was an African-American man killed by police who knocked on his neck and on his back, preventing him from breathing. During those minutes on the ground, Floyd cried out for his late mother several times. Police subdued Floyd for an alleged counterfeit $20 bill.
Activism
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