Bay Area

Local Leaders, Activists Angered as State Enforces Permanent School Closings

“There needs to be a concerted effort to do more than complaint about this,” he said. “There is no contention that the district is incompetent to govern its own affairs. The trusteeship should be ended.”

Published

5 years ago

April 8, 2021

Mia Lane

Carroll Fife

Dan Siegel

Nirali Jani

A number of Oakland community leaders and activists are calling for removing the Oakland Unified School District’s state-imposed trustee and the semi-private Fiscal Crisis Management and Assistance Team (FCMAT), which are enforcing a regime of austerity budgets and the closure of flatland, neighborhood public schools.

The state trustee, Chris Learned, recently came to a public school board meeting to say he would “stay” or rescind a school board decision if the board went ahead with a vote to halt the closing of schools in predominately Black neighborhoods. In the face of the threat, the board majority withdrew the disputed language.

“As a homeowner, I pay three OUSD parcel taxes: Measure N, Measure G1 and Measure G. Why am I paying parcel taxes to Oakland schools so FCMAT can turn around and tell the district to close them,” said Brian Crowell, an activist and member of the Oakland Education Association, speaking in an interview to the Oakland Post.

“Where were FCMAT and the trustee when (former Superintendent) Antwan Wilson was blowing through the budget a few years ago? They were silent and complicit.”

Crowell continued: “Now all of a sudden, FCMAT is raising its profile after the board threatened to stop closing schools. Now, they want to exercise oversight. They aren’t protecting students. They need to be audited and dismantled.”

The state overseers, who have never been audited or held to account, have been overseeing Oakland since 2003, requiring the district to lay off countless employees and closing as many as 20 schools, though unable to point to any evidence that school closings save money.

In the 2003 takeover, the state imposed a receiver, who usurped the power of the superintendent and the school board and unilaterally spent a $100 million state loan, which the district did not ask for and did not need. At the time, the district had about a $37 million deficit but also had sufficient money in a restricted fund, which it could lend itself to cover the debt.

The state did not allow OUSD to lend itself this money, though the practice was common in other districts, thereby ensuring state domination, which has continued to this day.

In 2009, receivership ended and the authority of the board was reinstated largely due to the work of former Mayor Ron Dellums and then Assemblyman Sandré Swanson. However, the state trustee and the authority to overrule school board decisions has remained in place.

Carroll Fife, a member of the Oakland City Council and a public-school parent, told the Oakland Post that FCMAT and the trustee are part of the structures that perpetuate educational harm to Oakland students.

“They are part of the structure that keeps repeating the same outcomes for our students,” she said.

“They see public education as a cash cow, something that’s commodified. They see it as a market to be exploited,” Fife said.

Fife said the district should create a Department of Race and Equity, similar to what Desley Brooks was able to enact in the city while she was on the City Council. With such a department, OUSD would examine the race and equity implications of its decisions, rather than enacting “the extreme opposite” like the school closings advocated by FCMAT and the trustee.

Civil rights attorney Dan Siegel was formerly OUSD’s legal counsel and later a school board member. He was on the board in 2003 when the state took over the district.

“The effort has not been made by the local legislative delegation to get the state to back off,” Siegel told the Oakland Post. “There is a behind-the-scenes power structure that has the ability to come in and upset local decisions. It has the ability to overrule decisions they disagree with.”

“It’s discriminatory that state government and the people in power treat Oakland as second–class (citizens),” he said. “Like in other districts, why can’t the board be trusted to make those decisions?”

“There needs to be a concerted effort to do more than complain about this,” he said. “There is no contention that the district is incompetent to govern its own affairs. The trusteeship should be ended.”

Nirali Jani, an education professor at Holy Names University and former OUSD teacher, has examined the role of FCMAT and its role as an enforcer of economic austerity in districts across the state.

“FCMAT does not have public oversight. It is a semi-private, extra–governmental organization that receives state funding” she said, arguing that FCMAT has done nothing positive although the district has spent millions of dollars to support the FCMAT’s staff.

With nearly two decades of FCMAT’s operations in Oakland, the district is still being asked to close schools and cut its budget, even though OUSD is receiving over $200 million in federal stimulus funds, she said.

Mia Lane

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Bay Area

Oakland Mayor Pushes Charter Overhaul to Clarify Roles in City Government, Increase Accountability and Improve Service Delivery

Under the proposal, the mayor would serve as Oakland’s chief executive, overseeing city departments, implementing policy, proposing the annual budget, and managing day-to-day operations. The measure would also give the mayor veto power over legislation and the budget, though the City Council could override a veto with a two-thirds vote.

Published

2 days ago

May 17, 2026

Oakland Post

Oakland Mayor Barbara Lee. File photo.

By Oakland Post Staff

Oakland Mayor Barbara Lee is backing a sweeping proposal to restructure Oakland’s government, arguing the changes would make City Hall more accountable and improve the delivery of basic services like public safety, homelessness response, and infrastructure repairs.

The charter reform measure, introduced April 7 and co-sponsored by Oakland City Council President Kevin Jenkins, would ask voters in November to approve a “strong mayor, strong council” system designed to create clearer lines of authority inside city government.

The City Council, meanwhile, would maintain legislative authority by adopting ordinances, approving budgets, conducting oversight hearings, and confirming key mayoral appointments. The proposal would also create an Independent Budget and Legislative Analyst Office to provide nonpartisan fiscal and policy analysis for councilmembers.

“I’ve spent months listening to Oaklanders across every neighborhood about what they expect from their city government,” Lee said. “The Charter Reform Working Group’s engagement made clear that residents want a system where there are no questions about who is responsible for delivering results on public safety, homelessness, infrastructure, and basic services.”

Jenkins said the proposal would strengthen both executive leadership and council oversight.

“I’ve long believed Oakland works best when residents have clear lines of accountability and a government structure that aligns responsibility with results,” Jenkins said.

The proposal follows recommendations from the Mayor’s Charter Reform Working Group, co-facilitated by the League of Women Voters of Oakland and SPUR.

Over five months, the group conducted more than 60 interviews, held 14 public meetings across Oakland, and engaged more than 750 residents while reviewing governance models used in other cities.

“The process of engaging residents across Oakland surfaced the governance clarity Oakland needs,” said Sujata Srivastava of SPUR. “The Charter Reform Working Group has produced a thoughtful set of recommendations that if adopted could strengthen accountability and improve service delivery across city government.”

Polling cited by the mayor’s office suggests voters may be open to the changes. A February 2026 poll by the East Bay Polling Institute found 64% of voters support adopting a strong-mayor system. Separate polling conducted by the Oakland Chamber of Commerce and David Binder Research found support ranging from 61% to 63% among likely voters.

The measure is scheduled to be heard by the City Council Rules Committee on May 21. If approved by the council, it would appear on the November 2026 ballot, where Oakland voters would have the final say.

Oakland Post

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Activism

The Ladies of Delta Sigma Theta Hold Day of Advocacy at the Capitol in Sacramento

A member of the “Divine Nine,” Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc., was founded on Jan. 13, 1913, at Howard University in Washington, D.C. The organization was established by 22 women who sought to shift the group’s focus from social activities to public service, academic excellence, and social activism.

Published

2 days ago

May 17, 2026

Oakland Post

Sen. Laura Richardson (D-San Pedro) presents a Senate resolution to the Delta Theta Sigma Sorority Farwest Region at the State Capitol on May 4. Photo courtesy of the Senate Rules Committee.

By Antonio Ray Harvey, California Black Media

On May 4, members of the Farwest Region of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc., convened at the California State Capitol for the organization’s 23rd annual Delta Days in Sacramento.

The two-day advocacy event brings together chapters from across California to engage directly in the legislative process, connect with lawmakers, and advocate for policies impacting Black communities.

Members of the sorority were honored on the Senate floor by Sen. Laura Richardson (D-San Pedro), who is also a member of Delta Sigma Theta.

Richardson welcomed the Farwest Region during the presentation of a Senate resolution recognizing outgoing Regional Director Kimberly Usher for her leadership and service.

“In addition to the Far West Region, we are led by a fearless leader, regional director Kimberly Usher. She has now served her full term of what’s allowed,” Richardson said. “We are going to be having our regional conference, but we wanted to give it to her here, officially recognizing her service.”

The resolution was co-authored by Richardson and fellow members of the California Legislative Black Caucus (CLBC) and Delta Sigma Theta, Sen. Akilah Weber Pierson (D-San Diego) and Assemblymember Rhodesia Ransom (D-Stockton).

Usher has served in the leadership role since 2022.

“We are founded on sisterhood that is deeply rooted in scholarship, service, and social action,” said Weber Pierson, a member of the Gamma Alpha chapter of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority.

“Today, we continue a legacy of empowering communities and upholding the high cultural, intellectual, and moral standards established by our founders over a century ago,” she added.

Oakland Post

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Bay Area

Q&A with Steven Bradford: Why He Wants Your Vote for California Insurance Commissioner

Known for his work on issues ranging from energy and public safety to economic development, Bradford has also engaged with insurance policy during his time in the Legislature, serving on the Senate Insurance Committee.

Published

2 days ago

May 17, 2026

Oakland Post

Hon. Steve Bradford, candidate for California Insurance Commissioner.

By Edward Henderson, California Black Media

As California confronts rising insurance costs, market instability, and growing concerns about access and equity, the race for the state’s top insurance regulator is drawing increased attention.

Among the candidates is Steven Bradford, a veteran public servant with more than two decades of experience in government, including eight years in the State Senate and five years in the State Assembly.

Now, he is making his case to voters for why his background and perspective best position him for the role of California’s next insurance commissioner.

California Black Media (CBM) spoke with Bradford about his campaign experiences, key issues he plans to solve if elected, and his vision for the insurance commissioner role.

For readers who may not be familiar, what does the Insurance Commissioner do, and how would you use that role to address issues impacting communities in California?

The Insurance Commissioner is both a regulator and an administrator. The office oversees the entire insurance market—approving companies to operate, licensing agents and brokers, and reviewing rate increases or decreases.

This role is about oversight and action. The commissioner should be a watchdog, not a bystander, especially in a state like California, which has the third-largest insurance market in the world.

Last year, you shifted your campaign from running for lieutenant governor to the race for insurance commissioner. What spurred that decision?

Insurance impacts every part of people’s lives. You can’t buy a home without it—that contributes to the housing crisis. You can’t legally drive without it—that affects people’s ability to work. And businesses can’t operate without it.

For years, insurance has disproportionately impacted low-income communities and people of color. While everyone is feeling the strain now, those communities have long been hit hardest. That’s why it’s critical that insurance is not just available, but affordable.

What sets you apart from the other candidates in this race?

My record: 26 years of public service. I’ve shown up, stood up, and spoke up for Californians.

A recent Supreme Court decision impacting the Voting Rights Act has raised concerns about representation. What message do you have for voters in California regarding the importance of their vote?

It’s alarming. If people think this doesn’t affect them, they’re mistaken. There’s a real effort to roll back decades of progress and silence voters.

Your vote is your most powerful tool, and we have to use it—every election.

What are you hearing from voters as you campaign across the state?

Affordability and transparency.

People are struggling with rising costs, and many don’t fully understand what their insurance policies cover.

We saw that clearly in places like Altadena and the Palisades—people had insurance but were underinsured. They didn’t realize their coverage wouldn’t meet the cost to rebuild. That’s unacceptable.

We must acknowledge the inequities in the system. The FAIR Plan has roots in discrimination, and today we still see disparities based on ZIP code and income. We need a more competitive and equitable market where consumers have choices.