Bay Area

Billionaire John Fisher Linked to Privatization of Schools and Port of Oakland

Doris Fisher, worth $2.6 billion, has “focused much of her wealth and resources on building charter schools. She and her late husband Donald donated more than $70 million to … (KIPP schools) … (building) the operation into the largest network of charter schools in the country, with 200 schools serving 80,000 students in 20 states,” according to an article in the website Capital & Main in 2016.

Published

2 years ago

February 14, 2022

Oakland Post

Caption: Oakland Mayor Libby Schaaf. Photo courtesy of ABC News.

Oakland A’s owner Fisher, a charter school tycoon, is a leader in ‘charterizing’ public schools.

Libby Schaaf connected to Fisher through funding of her education nonprofit, Oakland Promise; she calls for closing schools.

By Ken Epstein

How does real estate development at the Port connect to closing schools? Some political observers say ongoing attempts to displace residents and ‘whiten’ Oakland has two components: one is the snatching of public funds and property to build luxury housing as Oakland A’s owner John Fisher is doing at the Port.

The other part is removing the neighborhood schools attended by generations of Oakland residents and replacing them with charter schools and private schools designed to appeal to more affluent newcomers.

Significant potential allies for school communities fighting closures may be the International Longshore and Warehouse Union (ILWU) and other labor unions at the Port of Oakland, which are under threat from conservative billionaire Fisher’s stadium/real estate project that seeks to take over public land at the Port of Oakland, potentially fatally disrupting the port’s functioning.

John Fisher. Twitter photo.

Fisher has strong connections to local politicians. Mayor Libby Schaaf, an outspoken leader pushing for the Oakland A’s Port real estate project, also publicly backs the closing of Oakland schools. She is a charter school supporter and has significant connections to Fisher, who, along with other charter school billionaires, helps fund Schaaf’s pet nonprofit project, Oakland Promise.

Fisher is not only a baseball team owner, he is also a charter school tycoon. He and his mother Doris Fisher are leaders in the national effort to charterize school districts. According to the Knowledge is Power Program website, Fisher is on the board of directors of KIPP schools, which has charter schools across and the country and a network of 17 charters in Northern California, including a school in West Oakland and another in downtown Oakland.

KIPP’s office in this region is at 1000 Broadway, the same building where the school district has its headquarters.

Who is John Fisher? Politically, he is very conservative. According to Wiki, In 2019, it was revealed that Fisher, together with his mother Doris F. Fisher, as well as brothers William S. Fisher and Robert J. Fisher, had donated nearly $9 million to a dark money group that opposed Barack Obama in the 2012 election.”

According to the website of the KIPP charter school chain: “John Fisher is the executive vice chairman of Pisces Inc., and co-founder of Sansome Partners, which are the family office and investment group, respectively, for the Fisher Family, founders of The Gap. The Doris & Donald Fisher Fund focuses on education reform and charter schools and was founded by Doris Fisher and the late Donald Fisher.

“In addition to serving on a number of corporate boards, (Fisher) helped found and continues to serve on the board of Charter School Growth Fund and Silicon Schools Fund.”

Doris Fisher was listed in 2016 “as the second-largest political donor in California by the Sacramento Bee – and nearly all of her money now goes to promoting pro-charter school candidates and organizations,” according to Capital & Main. “While often labeled a Republican, she gives to Democrats and Republicans alike, just as long as they’re supportive of the charter school movement.”

Some of the financial connections between Oakland Promise — Schaaf’s nonprofit — to Fisher and other charter school billionaires are documented in Oakland Promise’s 2018 annual report.

Donations to Oakland Promise in 2018 by Fisher and Fisher-owned organizations include between $50,000-$100,000 from the Oakland Athletics, between $10,000-$25,000 from the Fisher Family and between $10,000-$25,000 from the Silicon Schools Fund.

Other charter school billionaires supporting Oakland Promise in 2018 were Arthur Rock, between $1 million-$3 million; Rogers Family Foundation, between $100,000- $1 million; Reed Hastings of Hastings Fund at Silicon Valley, between $100,000-$1 million

A locally based pro- charter school organization, Educate78, donated between $100,000-$1 million.

Schaaf is on board with Fisher’s agenda. In a KQED television interview on February 4, she offered “full-throttle support Fisher’s multi-billion-dollar real estate development at the Port,” she said. “This is everything that I as a mayor could want.”

Schaff was also unequivocal in her support for closing 15 Oakland neighborhood schools. She said that Oakland has 80 schools, while comparable districts have 40 schools, implying she supported closing as many as half the public schools in her city.

“I really feel for parents, students, teachers,” she said. “They have every right to be distrustful of this decision. But I believe it is different this time… This is an opportunity to do better for our students, for our educators, our families.”

Oakland Post

Posts by Oakland Post

Up Next

Aaron Douglas: The Father of African American Art

Don't Miss

CMS Administrator Chiquita Brooks-LaSure Makes History Among the Most Diverse White House Administration

Oakland Post

Click to comment

Activism

S.F. Black Leaders Rally to Protest, Discuss ‘Epidemic’ of Racial Slurs Against Black Students in SF Public School System

Parents at the meeting spoke of their children as no longer feeling safe in school because of bullying and discrimination. Parents also said that reported incidents such as racial slurs and intimidation are not dealt with to their satisfaction and feel ignored.

Published

1 day ago

May 4, 2024

Oakland Post

Rev. Amos C. Brown, president of the San Francisco NAACP and pastor of Third Baptist Church. Photo courtesy Third Baptist Church.

By Carla Thomas

San Francisco’s Third Baptist Church hosted a rally and meeting Sunday to discuss hatred toward African American students of the San Francisco Unified School District (SFUSD).

Rev. Amos C. Brown, president of the San Francisco NAACP and pastor of Third Baptist Church, along with leadership from local civil rights groups, the city’s faith-based community and Black community leadership convened at the church.

“There has been an epidemic of racial slurs and mistreatment of Black children in our public schools in the city,” said Brown. “This will not be tolerated.”

According to civil rights advocate Mattie Scott, students from elementary to high school have reported an extraordinary amount of racial slurs directed at them.

“There is a surge of overt racism in the schools, and our children should not be subjected to this,” said Scott. “Students are in school to learn, develop, and grow, not be hated on,” said Scott. “The parents of the children feel they have not received the support necessary to protect their children.”

Attendees were briefed last Friday in a meeting with SFUSD Superintendent Dr. Matt Wayne.

SFUSD states that their policies protect children and they are not at liberty to publicly discuss the issues to protect the children’s privacy.

Some parents said they have removed their students from school while other parents and community leaders called on the removal of the SFUSD superintendent, the firing of certain school principals and the need for more supportive school board members.

Community advocates discussed boycotting the schools and creating Freedom Schools led by Black leaders and educators, reassuring parents that their child’s wellbeing and education are the highest priority and youth are not to be disrupted by racism or policies that don’t support them.

Virginia Marshall, chair of the San Francisco NAACP’s education committee, offered encouragement to the parents and students in attendance while also announcing an upcoming May 14 school board meeting to demand accountability over their mistreatment.

“I’m urging anyone that cares about our students to pack the May 14 school board meeting,” said Marshall.

This resource was supported in whole or in part by funding provided by the State of California, administered by the California State Library via California Black Media as part of the Stop the Hate Program. The program is supported by partnership with California Department of Social Services and the California Commission on Asian and Pacific Islander American Affairs as part of the Stop the Hate program. To report a hate incident or hate crime and get support, go to CA vs Hate.

Oakland Post

Posts by Oakland Post

Bay Area

Mayor London Breed: State Awards San Francisco Over $37M for Affordable Housing

On April 30, Mayor London N. Breed announced San Francisco has been awarded more than $37.9 million in funding from the California Department of Housing and Community Development (HCD) as part of the State’s Multifamily Housing Program (MHP). The HCD loan will provide the final funding necessary for development of Casa Adelante – 1515 South Van Ness, a 168-unit affordable housing project located in San Francisco’s Mission District.

Published

1 day ago

May 4, 2024

Oakland Post

San Francisco Mayor London N. Breed (File Photo)

By Oakland Post Staff

The HCD loan will provide the final funding necessary for development of Casa Adelante – 1515 South Van Ness, a 168-unit affordable housing project located in San Francisco’s Mission District.

The new development at 1515 South Van Ness Ave. will provide 168 affordable homes to low-income families, formerly homeless families, and persons living with HIV earning between 25-80% of the San Francisco Area Median Income (AMI).

In addition, the project is anticipated to provide family-friendly amenities and ground floor community-serving commercial spaces that preserve the prevailing neighborhood character of the Calle 24 Latino Cultural District.

“This funding unlocks our ability to move on building affordable housing units for families in San Francisco at a crucial time. We understand the level of need for more housing that is accessible, and like the state, the city continues to face a challenging budget cycle,” said Breed. “1515 South Van Ness is a good example of what can be achieved in San Francisco when you have strong community partnerships and an unwavering commitment to deliver on critical needs for our residents.”

“From the beginning of my term as Supervisor, I have fought to bring affordable housing to 1515 South Van Ness” said Supervisor Hillary Ronen. “In the interim, the site has been utilized for homeless services and shelter, and I am thrilled that HCD has recognized the value of this development, and we are finally ready to break ground and bring 168 affordable homes to low income and formerly homeless families in the Mission.”

Owned and occupied by McMillan Electric Company until 2015, the City and County of San Francisco purchased 1515 South Van Ness Avenue in June 2019 with the intent of developing new affordable housing.

In November 2020, the San Francisco Mayor’s Office of Housing and Community Development (MOHCD) released a Multi-site Request for Qualifications (RFQ) seeking qualified developers to build affordable housing on the site, and subsequently selected Chinatown Community Development Corporation (CCDC) and Mission Economic Development Agency (MEDA) in May 2021 to develop the site.

The project is expected to begin construction in winter 2025.

“A strong, long-term push by Mission advocates to make this site 100% affordable is now paying off, with 168 family units that include services and childcare. People of color communities know what they need, and we are excited to be in partnership with a team, consisting of MEDA, CCDC, and MOHCD, that listens,” said Malcolm Yeung, Executive Director at CCDC.

“We are excited to be in partnership with CCDC, yet again, and for the opportunity to develop intergenerational affordable housing in the City’s Mission District,” said Luis Granados, executive director at MEDA.

Increasing housing affordable to lower-income and vulnerable residents is a key priority in the City’s Housing Element which calls for additional funding for affordable housing production and preservation, as well as Mayor Breed’s Housing for All Executive Directive that sets out the steps the City will take to meet the bold goal of allowing for 82,000 new homes to be built over the next eight years.

Tuesday’s funding announcement emphasizes the importance of regional and state collaboration in order to reach our housing and climate goals.

“We are thrilled—not just to bring a project of this size to a community with great need — but to do so with community-based developers and their partners who understand the neighborhood and sensitivities around cultural preservation,” said HCD Director Gustavo Velasquez.

Oakland Post

Posts by Oakland Post

Bay Area

East Bay Regional Park District Issues Rattlesnake Advisory

The East Bay Regional Park District released an advisory today on rattlesnakes, which emerge from winter hibernation in early spring and become more active. Warm weather can bring more potential for rattlesnake encounters with humans and dogs, particularly along trails and roads.

Published

1 day ago

May 4, 2024

Oakland Post

The Northern Pacific rattlesnake is the species found in East Bay Regional Parks. Courtesy photo.

The Richmond Standard

The East Bay Regional Park District released an advisory today on rattlesnakes, which emerge from winter hibernation in early spring and become more active.

Warm weather can bring more potential for rattlesnake encounters with humans and dogs, particularly along trails and roads.

Visitors are encouraged to avoid hiking alone in case of an emergency, to scan the ground ahead as they walk, jog or ride, stay on trails avoiding tall grass, and to look carefully around and under logs and rocks before sitting down. Keep your dog on your leash to be extra safe, park officials said.

If you encounter a rattlesnake, leave it alone – it is unlawful to capture or harm one. Move carefully and slowly away or around it and give it plenty of space, park officials said.

Those who are bitten by a rattlesnake are instructed to stay calm by lying down with the affected limb lower than the heart, then having someone call 911.

Getting medical attention is critical.

Those bitten should not use tourniquets, “sucking,” or snake bite kits. If you are by yourself, walk calmly to the nearest source of help to dial 911, do not run.

If bitten by any other type of snake, wash the wound with soap and water or an antiseptic and seek medical attention.

Not sure what bit you? Check the bite for two puncture marks (in rare cases one) associated with intense, burning pain, which is typical of a rattlesnake bite. Other snakebites can leave marks without associated burning pain.

The Northern Pacific rattlesnake is the species found in East Bay Regional Parks. Snakes are important to the natural environment, helping to control rodents and other reptile populations. But enjoy them from afar.

For more information, download the Park District’s Common Snakes brochure or watch our Gopher Snake or Rattlesnake video to learn how to tell the difference between rattlesnakes and gopher snakes. Additional information is available at ebparks.org/safety/wildlife-encounters.