Berkeley

Berkeley High Alumnus and Whistleblower Threatened with Arrest

Published

12 years ago

November 14, 2014

Most people would consider Ralph Walker a model Berkeley High School alumnus.

He ran track for two years when he was a student at BHS, graduating in 1971. He later worked as an assistant track coach for two years.

Over the years, Walker could often be seen at the school, supporting BHS athletics and participating in alumni activities. He started coaching and organizing an afterschool track club for youth, which has operated in both Berkeley and Alameda.

Lately, he has been raising his voice against “a lot of racist stuff going on at Berkeley High,” including racial conflict among students and harassment and hostility against Black staff and students by administration.

Ralph Walker

Things began to get worse for Walker after he reported that he had learned that a noose had been found hanging on a tree on the Berkeley High campus, discovered by a BHS safety officer on the afternoon of Wednesday, Oct. 1.

“I got a call from someone that there was a noose on campus, and the administration did not notify the parents. So, I let people know about it on Facebook,” he said. ”I’ve been hearing that some people at the school are upset that I did that.”

Since then, he had an argument with the woman who heads BHS security, and he filed a discrimination complaint against her. “When I filed the complaint at the district office, I was told I would get a reply within five working days. It’s been two weeks,” he said.

While the district did not respond to his complaint, Walker did receive a text message last Friday from the Berkeley Police Department officer who works at the school, which said, “If you come to the school, you will be arrested for trespassing because you’re going there to protest,” according to Walker.

“I have a pretty strong connection with a lot of parents up there,” he said. “A lot of them tell me stuff, and they don’t want me to say their names.”

“But they shouldn’t be scared to stick up for their kids,” Walker continued. “I’ve been talking about the racial problems at the school – from bad coaches to bad teachers. I’ve never seen it this bad.”

Walker said he received a call this week asking him to come to BHS for a meeting with the administration on Friday, but he was not told the reason for the meeting.

More than a week after the incident, the school notified Berkeley residents about the noose. In an email on Oct. 9, BHS Vice Principal Jorge Melgoza wrote: “This act of hate has never been, and will never be, tolerated on this campus.”

In an interview recently with the Post, he said BHS would organize small group discussions with the student body to raise understanding of the meaning of this hate incident.

However, according to several BHS classified employees and teachers, there have been no discussions with students or assemblies.

“I don’t think they really care,” said an employee who asked not to be identified. “They say they care with their words, but their actions don’t back it up.”

They have not done anything, said another BHS employee. “They are trying to sweep this under the rug.”

At a teacher in-service meeting on Monday, the school had a 45-minute presentation on ancient African history and a short video clip on the history of lynching – not followed up by discussion. “I don’t know what that was about. What did that have to do with teaching anybody about the noose?” Asked a teacher.

Vice Principal Melgoza and the district’s public information officer, Mark Coplan, did not return calls from the Post.

The Post also emailed questions to Mayor Tom Bates and Councilmembers Darryl Moore and Max Anderson about the police threat to arrest Walker and the failure of Berkeley High to deal with the noose incidents.

Councilmember Moore told the Post that he had not heard about the noose incident but felt that something should have been done sooner to educate the school community.

“If the noose incident happened on Oct. 1, it should have been done two weeks ago,” he said, adding that “I know Ralph (Walker) – he has done a lot of good work with young people.”

Moore said he would follow up, making inquiries and calling Berkeley Schools’ Superintendent Donald Evans.

By press time, Mayor Bates and Councilmember Anderson had not responded to the Post.

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Activism

Black Repertory Group Needs Volunteers to Help Shape the Next Generation of Artists and Leaders

Legendary performers such as Whoopi Goldberg and Danny Glover worked with and were inspired by BRG’s founders. More recently, Grammy award-winning artist Kehlani attended the Black Repertory Group Summer Day Camp for several years.

Published

2 weeks ago

June 26, 2026

Oakland Post

Courtesy image.

By Sean Vaughn Scott, Special to The Post

For more than 60 years, the Black Repertory Group (BRG) has changed lives through the arts.

Founded in 1964 by educators and visionaries Birel L. Vaughn and Nora Vaughn, BRG has become one of America’s oldest continuously operating Black theater institutions. For generations, it has preserved culture, developed talent, and provided opportunities for young people to discover their voices and their potential.

The results speak for themselves.

Long before international recognition, Kehlani performed on the BRG stage. During a summer day camp production of “Princess and da Frog,” she portrayed Ray, the lovable firefly whose light guided others through the darkness. Her journey is proof that today’s camper may become tomorrow’s artist, entrepreneur, educator, or leader.

Located at 3201 Adeline St. in Berkeley, BRG continues that mission through its Youth Summer Day Camp of the Arts.

BRG is currently accepting applications and maintains an open enrollment program. Students may enroll throughout the summer as space permits and immediately become part of the BRG family.

We are also proud to be a multicultural opportunity program, welcoming children and families from all backgrounds, cultures, and communities. Through theater, music, dance, public speaking, visual arts, technical theater, and leadership development, students gain confidence, discipline, creativity, and lifelong skills.

As our programs grow, so does our need for volunteers.

We are seeking community members to assist with youth mentoring, registration, costumes, set construction, painting, props, ushering, photography, social media, marketing, technical theater, and fundraising activities. Whether you volunteer for a few hours or throughout the season, your support directly impacts the lives of young people.

BRG also partners with churches, civic organizations, alumni associations, fraternities, sororities, and community groups through theater party fundraisers, group sales, and buy-out performances. These partnerships have helped organizations raise funds while supporting arts and cultural programming.

The theater also serves as the home of the Berkeley NAACP Chapter, which meets every second Saturday of the month from 1 to 3 p.m.

For more than six decades, the Black Repertory Group has remained committed to one belief: every child deserves an opportunity to shine.

The next great artist may already be among us.

The next Kehlani may already be walking through our doors.

We invite you to volunteer, enroll, participate, and become part of the legacy.

For more information please go to www.blackrepertorygroup.com, call (510) 652-2120, or email info@blackrepertorygroup.com

Sean Vaughn Scott is the director of the Black Repertory Group.

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Bay Area

UC Berkeley Named Top Public University in the U.S. and No. 7 in the World by ‘U.S. News’

Berkeley has been consistently awarded the distinction of the U.S.’s top public university since the Best Global Universities list was first published in 2014. “A strong position in the Best Global Universities rankings recognizes a school’s profound commitment to world-class research and cross-border academic excellence,” said LaMont Jones, managing editor for education at U.S. News.

Published

2 weeks ago

June 24, 2026

Oakland Post

Photo by Keegan Houser/UC Berkeley.

The 2026 Best Global Universities rankings evaluated 2,250 research institutions from more than 100 countries

By Lila Thulin

U.S. News & World Report has ranked UC Berkeley No. 7 in its 2026 list of the best global universities, which assesses more than 2,250 research institutions worldwide.

Berkeley also claimed the honor of top public university in the U.S.

Released on Monday, the list evaluates universities from more than 100 countries on 13 metrics such as global and research reputation (as reported by academics and peers) and number of highly cited scholarly papers.

Berkeley has been consistently awarded the distinction of the U.S.’s top public university since the Best Global Universities list was first published in 2014.

“A strong position in the Best Global Universities rankings recognizes a school’s profound commitment to world-class research and cross-border academic excellence,” said LaMont Jones, managing editor for education at U.S. News.

The rankings also assess a university’s strength in various subject areas; these assessments are separate from U.S. News’ 2026 Best Graduate Programs rankings released in April.

This year, Berkeley was named in the top three nationally in seven subject areas – environment/ecology, ecology, water resources, physics, computer science, chemistry, and engineering – and in the top five for a total of 17 subjects. Subject rankings are based heavily on scholarly publications and citations as well as reputation.

In September, U.S. News also released its 2026 Best Colleges list, in which Berkeley was also named the No. 1 public institution among American universities.

That honor joins other accolades judging campus to be the best public university in the country, such as those from Forbes, The Wall Street Journal and Times Higher Education.

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Arts and Culture

Farwest Region Deltas Celebrate Centennial With “September Breakfast” Honoring Vivian Osborne Marsh

The region was established in 1925 under the leadership of Vivian Osborne Marsh, who became its first Regional Director. Marsh was a pioneering scholar and civic leader, earning recognition as the first Black woman to receive both a bachelor’s and a master’s degree in anthropology from UC Berkeley.

Published

10 months ago

September 14, 2025

Oakland Post

Farwest Regional Director, Kimberly Usher, Mayor Barbara Lee, US Representative Lateefah Simon, and Farwest Regional Representative, Radiya Ajibade. Photo courtesy of Farwest Regional Photographer Vicki P. Love.

By Antoinette Porter

Hundreds of members of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc., and their guests gathered at the Martin Luther King Jr. Student Union at the University of California, Berkeley, to mark the 100th anniversary of the sorority’s Farwest Region.

Marsh went on to serve as Delta Sigma Theta’s 7th National President, where she launched the sorority’s National Library Project to expand access to books in underserved Black communities in the South. During her presidency, the organization also became a prominent voice in the civil rights movement, lobbying Congress to pass anti-lynching legislation.

Bak in the Bay Area, Marsh devoted her career to advancing educational opportunities, mentoring young people, and strengthening community life. That commitment continues to shape the region, which supports initiatives in education, social justice, and economic development. Current projects include raising scholarship funds for students at Historically Black Colleges and Universities, voter education campaigns, and health and wellness programs.

A century after its founding, the Farwest Region of Delta Sigma Theta remains active across California and other western states, carrying forward Marsh’s vision of service and advocacy.