BK, JUNAGADH, JAMNAGAR, TAPI AND MAHESANA DISTRICT 30 THI OCHHI SANKHYA VALI SCHOOLO NE MERGE KARVA BABAT PARIPATRA
30 THI OCHHI SANKHYA DHARAVTI SCHOOLO NE MERGE KARVA BABAT
The Oakland Unified school board has voted to close Kaiser Elementary in the north Oakland hills in June and merge the campus with Sankofa Academy Elementary in the lower-income flatlands area of north Oakland. Kaiser's students come from throughout the city.
The Oakland Unified school board and superintendent are sticking to their plans to close and merge more schools over the next three years, despite escalating protests.
Superintendent Kyla Johnson-Trammell said she is moving ahead with plans to close Kaiser Elementary at the end of this school year and merge it with Sankofa Elementary. The district’s plan calls for school closings, mergers or expansions every year over the next three years.
“The fact that not everyone agrees does not mean that these decisions aren’t right for Oakland’s students,” said Johnson-Trammell after a recent contentious school board meeting in which some protesters attempted to go on the stage where the school board members sit. A citizens group posted a video that they claim shows district police being unnecessarily forceful using batons to push back the protesters. Six protesters were arrested.
Johnson-Trammell, in a statement Friday, said she has directed “an inquiry into the use of force” to be conducted by “an impartial outside third party.” She also directed the release this week of all footage, including from police body cams, of the Oct. 23 meeting. The day after that meeting, district and police officials said they had to put up barricades to protect the school board. They said some protesters went too far by crossing the barriers.
“What occurred is not reflective of who we are as a community,” Johnson-Trammell said Friday. “It is important for us to begin to address this situation from a place of compassion for everyone involved.”
The Oakland teachers’ union, which led its educators on a seven-day strike last February, issued a blistering criticism of the district for allowing its police to erect barricades and use force against the protesters. The state and district teachers’ unions, along with many protesters, blamed the superintendent and board for the police response and demanded an apology.
Undeterred, the protesters, joined by members of the Oakland Education Association teachers’ union, held a vigil outside the district office last week against school closures and the police response. Organizers and other anti-school closure activists said they planned to disrupt the next board meeting Nov. 13.
“We have demands,” said Saru Jayaraman, a Kaiser parent, referring to the group’s demands to stop school closures, redirect money spent on police toward students’ needs, curb charter school growth and involve residents in decisions about how to spend district funds. Jayaraman, whose 7-year-old and 9-year-old children attend Kaiser, has helped lead the protests. She said she was injured when police arrested her at the board meeting. “We’re going to keep holding actions and protests and going after board members until our demands are met.”
JUNAGADH DISTRICT : OCHHI SANKHYA DHARAVTI SCHOOLO NE MERGE KARVA BABAT
PARIPATRA CLICK HERE
TAPI DISTRICT : OCHHI SANKHYA DHARAVTI SCHOOLO NE MERGE KARVA BABAT
MEHSANA DISTRICT : OCHHI SANKHYA DHARAVTI SCHOOLO NE MERGE KARVA BABAT
JAMNAGAR DISTRICT : OCHHI SANKHYA DHARAVTI SCHOOLO NE MERGE KARVA BABAT.
BANASKANTHA DISTRICT : OCHHI SANKHYA DHARAVTI SCHOOLO NE MERGE KARVA BABAT
