Activism

Oakland Teachers Take Strike Vote, Accuse OUSD of Unfair Labor Practices

In a media release, the union announced that voting began on Monday: “Instead of negotiating a fair contract for the safe, stable, and racially-just schools our students deserve, OUSD has bargained in bad faith and broken labor law,” the union said. In a video statement on the OEA Facebook page, OEA Interim President Ismael “Ish” Armendariz announced the strike vote, which will be conducted for a week. Results will be tallied next Monday evening.

Published

12 months ago

April 26, 2023

Oakland Post

Oakland Education Association (OEA) bargaining team members at recent teacher rally. Photo by Ken Epstein.

By Ken Epstein

Members of the Oakland Education Association (OEA) are voting this week whether they are ready to go on strike against the Oakland Unified School District for “illegal, bad-faith bargaining.”

In a video statement on the OEA Facebook page, OEA Interim President Ismael “Ish” Armendariz announced the strike vote, which will be conducted for a week. Results will be tallied next Monday evening.

Armendariz asked members to authorize the unfair labor practices walkout “when it’s necessary.”

“OUSD’s bargaining team has negotiated in bad faith,” he said. “They cancel sessions and give unserious proposals. Unfortunately, this behavior is continuing, and we can’t trust OUSD to come with serious proposals to settle a contract.”

“Our members deserve a livable wage,” he continued. “Our students deserve the services they need to be successful. (The district has not) come to the table to bargain special education, have not brought proposals around our safety,” (nor) responded to union proposals to enhance benefits to families and the community.

Kampala Taiz-Rancifer, OEA second vice president, said in a Facebook statement:

“OUSD is not only bargaining in bad faith, but their proposals are racist and create a separate and unequal salary schedule.” She also said the district has “ignored (its) legal obligation to bargain the impacts of closing special education classrooms with five weeks left in the school year.”

Prior to this week’s vote, OEA surveyed members to test their readiness to strike. Of the 80% of Oakland teachers who were polled, 90% said they were willing to strike.

Already ramping up strike preparations, the union has scheduled “merchant walks” on several weekends to reach out to the community, “art builds” to make picket signs at the OEA office and called a mass “fair contract” rally for next Wednesday.

On its website, OEA compares starting salaries of Oakland teacher with other major districts. First year teachers’ salaries are second to last in Oakland, earning $52,325 annually, while top-paying San Jose Unified has a beginning salary of $68,396.

The last contract between the district and OEA expired in October 2022. The district has been cutting the budget and is suggesting the possibility of closing, merging or consolidating schools to offer salary increases to teachers and other employees.

In a statement, the district said, “Because OUSD has finite resources for ongoing costs and must operate within a balanced budget, we are unable to do everything proposed by OEA. At the table, OUSD has expressed its desire to prioritize increasing compensation to improve educator retention and improving student outcomes.”

This week, the Los Angeles teachers’ union (UTLA), which often works cooperatively with the OEA, announced a tentative agreement with their district.

UTLA won a 21% salary increase for all members, overall class size reduction by two students across all grade levels, increased staffing and pay for counselors, psychologists and others, and more support staff and enforceable class size limits for special education.

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Oakland Post: Week of April 17 – 23, 2024

The printed Weekly Edition of the Oakland Post: Week of April 17 – 23, 2024

Published

5 days ago

April 19, 2024

Oakland Post

To enlarge your view of this issue, use the slider, magnifying glass icon or full page icon in the lower right corner of the browser window.

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Oakland Schools Honor Fred Korematsu Day of Civil Liberties

Every Jan. 30, OUSD commemorates the legacy of Fred Korematsu, an Oakland native, a Castlemont High School graduate, and a national symbol of resistance, resilience, and justice. His defiant stand against racial injustice and his unwavering commitment to civil rights continue to inspire the local community and the nation. Tuesday was “Fred Korematsu Day of Civil Liberties and the Constitution” in the state of California and a growing number of states across the country.

Published

6 days ago

April 19, 2024

Oakland Post

Fred Korematsu. Courtesy of OUSD.

By Post Staff

Every Jan. 30, OUSD commemorates the legacy of Fred Korematsu, an Oakland native, a Castlemont High School graduate, and a national symbol of resistance, resilience, and justice.

His defiant stand against racial injustice and his unwavering commitment to civil rights continue to inspire the local community and the nation. Tuesday was “Fred Korematsu Day of Civil Liberties and the Constitution” in the state of California and a growing number of states across the country.
One OUSD school is named in his honor: Fred T. Korematsu Discovery Academy (KDA) elementary in East Oakland.

Several years ago, founding KDA Principal Charles Wilson, in a video interview with anti-hate organization “Not In Our Town,” said, “We chose the name Fred Korematsu because we really felt like the attributes that he showed in his work are things that the children need to learn … that common people can stand up and make differences in a large number of people’s lives.”

Fred Korematsu was born in Oakland on Jan. 30, 1919. His parents ran a floral nursery business, and his upbringing in Oakland shaped his worldview. His belief in the importance of standing up for your rights and the rights of others, regardless of race or background, was the foundation for his activism against racial prejudice and for the rights of Japanese Americans during World War II.

At the start of the war, Korematsu was turned away from enlisting in the National Guard and the Coast Guard because of his race. He trained as a welder, working at the docks in Oakland, but was fired after the bombing of Pearl Harbor in 1941. Fear and prejudice led to federal Executive Order 9066, which forced more than 120,000 Japanese Americans out of their homes and neighborhoods and into remote internment camps.

The 23-year-old Korematsu resisted the order. He underwent cosmetic surgery and assumed a false identity, choosing freedom over unjust imprisonment. His later arrest and conviction sparked a legal battle that would challenge the foundation of civil liberties in America.

Korematsu’s fight culminated in the Supreme Court’s initial ruling against him in 1944. He spent years in a Utah internment camp with his family, followed by time living in Salt Lake City where he was dogged by racism.

In 1976, President Gerald Ford overturned Executive Order 9066. Seven years later, the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals in San Francisco vacated Korematsu’s conviction. He said in court, “I would like to see the government admit that they were wrong and do something about it so this will never happen again to any American citizen of any race, creed, or color.”

Korematsu’s dedication and determination established him as a national icon of civil rights and social justice. He advocated for justice with Rosa Parks. In 1998, President Bill Clinton gave him the Presidential Medal of Freedom saying, “In the long history of our country’s constant search for justice, some names of ordinary citizens stand for millions of souls … To that distinguished list, today we add the name of Fred Korematsu.”

After Sept. 11, 2001, Korematsu spoke out against hatred and discrimination, saying what happened to Japanese Americans should not happen to people of Middle Eastern descent.
Korematsu’s roots in Oakland and his education in OUSD are a source of great pride for the city, according to the school district. His most famous quote, which is on the Korematsu elementary school mural, is as relevant now as ever, “If you have the feeling that something is wrong, don’t be afraid to speak up.”

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WOMEN IMPACTING THE CHURCH AND COMMUNITY

Published

7 days ago

April 17, 2024

Oakland Post

Juanita Matthews

Sister Juanita Matthews

55 Years with Oakland Public School District

The Teacher, Mother, Community Outreach Champion, And Child of God

Juanita Matthews, better known as “Sister Teacher,” is a walking Bible scholar. She moved to California from the great state of Arkansas in 1971. Sister Teacher has a passion for teaching. She has been a member of Bible Fellowship Missionary Baptist Church since 1971. She followed her passion for teaching, and in 1977 became the lead teacher for Adult Class #6. Her motto still today is “Once My Student, Always My Student”.

Beyond her remarkable love for the Lord, Sister Teacher has showcased her love for teaching by working for the Oakland Unified School District for 55 years, all but four of those years spent at Emerson Elementary and Child Development School. She truly cares about her students, making sure they have the tools/supplies needed to learn either at OUSD or Bible Fellowship Missionary Baptist Church.

She’s also had a “Clothes Closet Ministry” for 51 years, making sure her students have sufficient clothing for school. The Clothes Closet Ministry extends past her students, she has been clothing the community for over 50 years as well. She loves the Lord and is a servant on a mission. She is a loving mother to two beautiful children, Sandra and Andre. This is the impact this woman of God has on her church and the community.