Activism

Community Mobilizes to Halt State Bill Requiring Oakland to Close Public Schools and Sell Public Property

Published

6 years ago

June 11, 2020

Local residents have joined with Assemblymember Rob Bonta to oppose a state bill that would have required the Oakland Unified School District (OUSD) to permanently close schools and sell or lease public school properties in the midst of the pandemic

Assemblymember Bonta and the other speakers at a press conference Tuesday announced that there was a tentative agreement with state officials that would entirely reverse the original language and place a moratorium on school closures, mergers and colocations for one year or until the end of the pandemic.

In her remarks at Tuesday’s press conference, Saru Jayaraman of Oakland Not for Sale spoke of working with top health experts on a White Paper arguing that this is not the time to close schools since communities need all school facilities to provide for social distancing during the pandemic. This is in accord with Governor Newsom’s directives on school reopening.

The Ad Hoc Committee of Educators and Parents has collected over a thousand signatures on a petition to State Senator Nancy Skinners and Assemblymember Wicks asking them, as representatives of Oakland, to support Bonta’s language and Black Women Organized for Political Action (BWOPA) has presented Skinner and Wicks with a letter asking their support for the moratorium on permanent closures.

But the fight is not over. Every day new reports emanate from Sacramento on support and opposition to the bill, which is scheduled for approval by June 15 or earlier.

At issue is wording that impacts OUSD is one section of the 83-page “2020 Governor’s Budget Education Omnibus Trailer Bill,” which covers a wide range of issues. The OUSD section amends a previous law, AB 1840, which currently says the district “may” sell public property to achieve financial stability but is not required to do so.

The bill would add wording into the CA Education Code requiring that state aid — up to $16 million next year — for OUSD would be “contingent” on “new conditions” as follows: “affirmative board action to continue planning for, and timely implementation of a school and facility closure and consolidation plan that supports the sale or lease of surplus property,” according to a March 2 letter from the Fiscal Crisis and Management Assistance Team (FCMAT).

This latest maneuver to force Oakland to close schools is backed by FCMAT, a non-elected, private body located in Bakersfield. FCMAT has had veto power over the Oakland school district budget since 2003 when the state originally took over the district. Although the district theoretically had local control returned, in fact the state has maintained budgetary control. FCMAT has been working on forcing the closure of Oakland schools since their first contact with the district, which has resulted in closing 18 flatlands schools, serving overwhelmingly Black and Latino students.

Speaking at this week’s press conference, Bonta said his new wording asks that Oakland work to achieve a “fiscally sound school” district in a variety of different ways but not by permanently closing schools, at least for the next year during the COVID-19 public health crisis. However, he emphasized that the deal on this language is not finalized.

“We’re on the verge of it, but I don’t want to say it’s final until it’s final. The budget is not the budget until it’s voted on the and the language is final and we haven’t seen that. But we have made progress, incredible progress.”

Bonta told community members that the district’s financial decisions need to be “made locally and collaboratively in partnership with you, our teachers, our students, all of our leaders and our classified workers.”

“You’ve been fighting for this (for a long time),” he said. “I appreciate the opportunity to listen to you, to learn from you, to partner with you, to co-create solutions with you, to think through alternative possibilities with you.”

Other Oaklanders added pressure to halt the school closure bill. A resolution opposing the bill was passed by the Representative Council of the teachers’ union, the Oakland Education Association (OEA), and OEA President Keith Brown sent a letter to State Supt. of Instruction Tony Thurmond and Gov. Newsom opposing closing schools at a time when schools need the maximum amount of space in order to reopen with social distancing.

Ken Epstein

Posts by Ken Epstein

Activism

‘Hire Oakland’ Job Fair Draws 2,000, Connecting Residents to Immediate Job Opportunities

Oakland’s Hire Oakland job fair, hosted by Mayor Barbara Lee’s office, connected over 2,000 job seekers with employers, highlighting a strong demand for quality jobs and career pathways in the city.

Published

18 minutes ago

May 15, 2026

Oakland Post

Left to right: Yawo Tekpa, OPIC Manager, One Stop Operator; Sofia Navarro, Deputy City Administrator; and Ray Lankford, CEO of the Oakland Private Industry Council. Photo by Jonathan Fitness Jones.

By Post Staff

The Office of Mayor Barbara Lee, in partnership with the City of Oakland and regional employers, hosted a successful Hire Oakland job fair this week at Frank H. Ogawa Plaza, bringing together job seekers and employers for a day focused on opportunity, connection, and economic mobility.

With more than 2,000 RSVPs, the event on Wednesday reflected strong demand across Oakland for access to quality jobs and career pathways. Attendees participated in on-site recruitment, application support, and hands-on workshops designed to help job seekers navigate hiring processes and prepare for interviews.

Over the course of the day, employers and community partners engaged directly with residents in a welcoming, high-energy environment centered on opportunity and hope. Participating employers included EBMUD, Samuel Merritt University, the City of Oakland, BART, PG&E, AC Transit, East Bay Regional Parks District, Southwest Airlines, FedEx, and many others offering immediate openings and career pathways across sectors.

Workforce development partners Oakland Private Industry Council (OPIC) and Lao Family Community Development provided connections to résumé support, interview coaching, and individualized job search assistance throughout the event.

The strong turnout underscores a clear reality: Oakland residents are eager for pathways into meaningful work, and sustained investment in youth and workforce programs is essential.

That is why Mayor Lee has prioritized relaunching the Oakland Police Cadet Program and the Mayor’s Youth Employment and Education Program (MYEEP)—ensuring young people have early access to paid work experience, mentorship, and long-term career pathways, according to a City press statement.

“The turnout shows what we already know—Oaklanders are ready to work, ready to grow, and ready to build their futures here at home,” said Lee. “When we connect people directly to employers and invest in young people early, we are not just filling jobs—we are changing lives and strengthening our city’s future.”

The Hire Oakland job fair is part of the City’s broader effort to strengthen workforce pipelines, expand access to good-paying jobs, and ensure Oakland residents are first in line for local opportunity.

About Hire OaklandHire Oakland is a citywide workforce initiative led by the Office of Mayor Barbara Lee in partnership with City departments, workforce development organizations, and regional employers. The program connects Oakland job seekers to real-time hiring opportunities, training resources, and career pathways.

Oakland Post

Posts by Oakland Post

Activism

Cassie ‘Mama C’ Lopez Honored as Oakland’s Mother of the Year

Cassandra “Mama C” Lopez, a dedicated parent, teacher, and activist, was honored as Oakland’s Mother of the Year for her unwavering commitment to community and justice.

Published

28 minutes ago

May 15, 2026

Oakland Post

Cassandra Lopez, known as “Mama C,” is surrounded by family, friends, and neighbors at Oakland’s annual Mother of Year celebration at the Morcom Rose Garden, Saturday, May 9. Photo by Mateenah Floyd-Okanlawon.

By Ken Epstein

The City of Oakland recognized Cassandra, “Mama C,” Lopez – parent, teacher, community activist, and justice warrior – as Oakland’s Mother of the Year in a celebration at Oakland’s Morcom Rose Garden on Mother’s Day weekend.

Long recognized as a leader in her community, she was nominated by District 3 City Councilmember Carroll Fife to receive the city’s 73rd annual Mother of the Year award.

Speaking at the crowded ceremony on Saturday, May 9, where Mama C received roses and a proclamation from Mayor Barbara Lee, Fife said she felt honored to nominate Lopez, an “amazing woman – a hell-raising humanitarian, for the energy, the passion, but most of all the love for community” that makes her one of those “exceptional women whose lives, exemplify love, sacrifice, leadership, and unwavering commitment to the family and community they serve.”

Cassie Lopez was born in 1945 to Pauline and Calvin Weaver, a family that had left Florida and Jim Crow for the east side of Detroit. From an early age, she was instilled with a sense of Black awareness, love, and the importance of community in the face of hardships, including poverty, freezing winters, low pay, and slum landlords.

Fifty-five years ago, she married Juan Lopez. The couple has three children and has lived for decades in a neighborhood on the edge of downtown Oakland near Mosswood Park.

Said her husband, Juan, “Mama C has been a selfless mother of our own children, and she also became a teacher. Our home became a second home for many young people. For some, it was refuge from difficult home situations, and for others, a safe place to hang out.

“Throughout the years, Mama C was sometimes a foot soldier and other times a leader, immersed in some of the biggest national and citywide struggles of the day,” Juan said. “But less known to many is the role she played day in and day out where the rubber hits the road.

“For 35 years, she has shepherded the Mosswood Park and Recreation Center – through its good and bad times. If the Center exists (and thrives) today, it has to do with Mama C, working alongside neighbors, center directors, community advisory council, and when necessary, community coalitions, city officials, the religious community, and the labor movement.”

Said Mateenah Floyd-Okanlawon, “I am an old friend of my sister here. We met in 1970 in the sugarcane fields of Cuba, where we were helping the Cuban government harvest their sugar. We have been friends ever since. She has always been someone who does not give in to despair.”

David Johnson, an educator in Oakland, was one of the neighborhood children who grew up in the community created by Mama C and her family

“Cassandra Lopez is a beacon of light, full of compassion. She has dedicated her life to quality education to the poor and working class,” serving for 40 years as a Spanish teacher in Oakland schools, he said.

“She has dedicated her life to speak truth to power, justice to the silent, and as a member of the community, she advocates for programs and resources,” he said.

In her remarks, Mama C recognized the influence and power of all mothers. “Together, we all stand on the backs of our mothers. Mothers play a special role in society. We give when we have almost nothing left to give. We hurt when some people don’t see the hurt and the pain that our families endure. But we keep on moving forward.”

Looking at what African Americans, other people of color and working people face in the country today, she said, “We are deserving of the very best because our hands, our bodies produce the wealth of world, and yet we get the least. We see our country wholesale being stolen away from us, and we are told to grin and bear it. We’re not bearing it; we’re fighting against it.”

Continuing, she said, “There’s enough wealth in this world that there should be no hunger in the world. There should be nobody without a decent place to live. Nobody should be sleeping on the street. Teachers should get the freedom to be creative and tell the stories that exist in this nation that make us strong and great.

“We have a lot to do. We cannot despair. We cannot run. People are learning, and together, collectively, we can do it.”