Oakland school board member thanks community for response to ICE activity

OAKLAND, Calif. - ICE activity near Hoover Elementary was among the topics discussed at Wednesday night’s Oakland Unified School District board meeting. The event primarily focused on how the district plans to address a $100 million budget shortfall. 

Keeping students safe

Board members and union leaders opened the meeting by thanking parents, staff and community members for their response earlier in the day, when the school went into lockdown after federal agents confronted a man at gunpoint just a block from campus.

"Today we showed that when we band together, we can keep our families and students safe, from masked men in white unmarked vans," said board director Valarie Bachelor. She praised school staff for following safety protocols and thanked community members for stepping in to support families.

Oakland Education Association President Kampala Taiz-Rancifer echoed Bachelor's comments. "Hundreds of community allies showed up to ensure that our schools remained and our community was supported," said Taiz-Rancifer.

School shooting

The meeting also came during a violent stretch on school campuses in Oakland. Last Wednesday, a student was shot and survived at Skyline High School. A day later, longtime coach John Beam was shot and killed at Laney College, which is not run by the district. Parents attending Wednesday’s meeting said student safety is their top concern.

"How they’re going to be protected, everything," said one parent who didn't want to be identified. "Make it easy for everyone to understand the process of how the kids are going to get to school, how they’re going to leave, what they’re going to do after, or even before."

Budget proposals

Most of Wednesday’s meeting focused on the district’s plan to reduce spending by $100 million over the next two years. The board presented two budget proposals, both of which would keep all schools open but sharply cut the size of the district’s central administrative office.

"We have to do whatever we can to make sure we put the students first," said special education teacher Jeffrey Parker. "So wherever those cuts are, as long as it doesn’t impact the students."

Potential cuts include reductions to contracted school-site safety personnel, impacts to cleaning services and cuts to teacher development and support programs.

"My biggest fear is that my kid is not going to get a good education," said parent Celia Sparks. "My biggest fear is that her teachers are not going to stay."

What's next:

The school board is asking the community to weigh in on the proposals. A final decision is expected at the Dec. 10 board meeting.