Community
OP-ED: Parent Responds to OUSD Supt. Antwan Wilson
By Shaless Peoples
Thank you Supt. Antwan Wilson for your invitation to hear feedback on this matter. I’d like to respond to two key points you brought up in your March 31 Op-Ed published on the Post News Group website, “America Needs Oakland to Succeed”.
Teacher Salaries:
To the understanding of many OUSD parents, community members, and stakeholders, there are discrepancies in your statement because:
Teachers have had just a 3.25 percent raise over the past 10 years, which should be considered;
1.5 percent of this raise is dependent on some teachers paying more for their health care, presumably resulting in less money to the teachers net and more money to the district in terms of cost savings;
1.5 percent of this raise is dependent on longer working hours;
Only 3 percent for the first year is guaranteed, the remaining 7.5% is contingent on revenue;
Until the District closes the gap between current salaries in our district and current salaries in surrounding districts, we will continue to lose excellent teachers. OUSD is 7.6 percent to 15 percent below average (per GO Public Schools). So our district must make up that difference AND keep up with ongoing raises offered by neighboring districts.
Unless the district can prove otherwise, I’m sure you can see how while 13.5 percent over 18 months sounds marvelous and wonderful, it really doesn’t amount to any viable progress towards your efforts of improving OUSD “starting with our people.”
California/OUSD Low Funding:
Yes, funding should be increased for the education sector.
That said, let’s be clear here: OUSD has received an additional $42 million in unrestricted funds in 2013-2014 and 2014-2015 and the governor’s proposed budget will provide $24 million more in 2015-2016. That is an increase of $66 million in funding for OUSD.
Salary of Superintendent of Schools: $280,000/per year.
Salary of Chief of Schools (a brand new position/title that you created): $175,000/per year. Allan Smith, a colleague of yours from Denver Public Schools, currently holds this position.
Salary of Chief of Organizational Effectiveness and Culture (a brand new position/title you created): $155,000/per year. Yana Smith, the spouse of Allan Smith currently holds this position.
Salary of (Interim) Head of Facilities & Management: $360,000/per year.
Unless the district can prove otherwise, I’m sure you can see what clearly is a profound discrepancy, and how pontificating “Low Coffers!” is just simply inadequate at best, and a major insult to the intelligence of everyone involved in this process at worst.
Recently, a parent, who also happened to be a teacher, suggested that we as community need to push our state for more funding.
I agree with this opinion.
I also believe that the first step to pushing the state, is to demonstrate that we are capable of being fiscally responsible with what we have. I liken this point to allowance for my child: If I observe that my son is losing his money, not saving some of it, and spending frivolously, do you think I am going to respond to his request for an increase in his allowance with yes?
The same notion applies to the relationship between OUSD and state leadership.
The process of ensuring that our actions are indeed fiscally sound involves having productive and transparent dialogue with district leadership so that we are all confident that any action being taken are ethical, legal, and just.
As a parent of an OUSD student, and a product of a family of educators, I for one, Superintendent Wilson, fully intend on giving you feedback and pushing back on a district level until I am confident that all of the decisions and actions coming out of the district truly do place our people first.
Shaless Peoples is a resident and parent in Oakland, where she volunteers at her son’s school.
Bay Area
Gov. Newsom Looks Back at 2024 Milestones; Presents Vision for 2025
Newsom opened by recounting his announcement atop the Golden Gate Bridge of $150.4 billion in record-breaking visitor spending. He reflected on signing a bill with singer Demi Lovato to protect young content creators from financial exploitation. He celebrated the Olympic flag transfer ceremony, signifying California’s preparation for the 2028 Games in Los Angeles.

By Joe W. Bowers, California Black Media
In a recent video address, Gov. Gavin Newsom shared key moments that shaped California in 2024. He emphasized achievements in tourism, technology, public safety, and environmental resilience while underscoring the state’s ability to tackle challenges head-on.
Newsom opened by recounting his announcement atop the Golden Gate Bridge of $150.4 billion in record-breaking visitor spending. He reflected on signing a bill with singer Demi Lovato to protect young content creators from financial exploitation. He celebrated the Olympic flag transfer ceremony, signifying California’s preparation for the 2028 Games in Los Angeles.
Focusing on innovation, Newsom praised NVIDIA CEO Jensen Huang for his leadership in advancing generative AI. He showcased the transformation of an abandoned mall into a quantum computing center in L.A. that addresses global challenges.
He also highlighted the ARCHES coalition’s work on green hydrogen, aiming to decarbonize California’s industries.
Newsom emphasized California’s leadership on clean transportation with over 2 million electric vehicles sold and a statewide network of 150,000 public chargers. He spoke about joining Speaker Emerita Nancy Pelosi to celebrate the long-awaited electrification of Caltrain, linking San Francisco to San Jose.
In climate resilience, Newsom spotlighted removing the Klamath Dam, the largest project in U.S. history, restoring salmon migration and tribal lands. He discussed agreements with Italy and Pope Francis to address greenhouse gas emissions and praised the legislature’s action to increase transparency and hold oil companies accountable for gas price spikes.
Turning to health, housing, and education, Newsom outlined progress on Proposition 1 to improve mental health care, legislative efforts to increase housing construction, and the expansion of universal free school meals for all public school students.
Public safety highlights included combating fentanyl trafficking, expanding the California Highway Patrol, and addressing organized retail theft through new legislation.
Newsom also celebrated the state’s balanced budget for the current and upcoming fiscal years. He joked about his detailed budget presentations as his “yearly Super Bowl,” highlighting the importance he places on fiscal responsibility.
The Governor closed by reflecting on 2024 as a year defined by resilience and optimism, crediting California’s ability to navigate polarization and overcome challenges. He emphasized the importance of preserving California’s values of innovation and inclusiveness while continuing to invest in communities, infrastructure, and equity as the state looks ahead to 2025.
Activism
Oakland Post: Week of February 12 – 18, 2025
The printed Weekly Edition of the Oakland Post: Week of February 12 – 18, 2025

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#NNPA BlackPress
NAACP Sues Trump Administration Over Dismantling of Consumer Financial Protection Bureau
NNPA NEWSWIRE — The lawsuit comes after a series of drastic actions following the ouster of CFPB Director Rohit Chopra. President Trump replaced Chopra with Russell Vought, who immediately instructed staff not to perform any work tasks and ordered the closure of the agency’s headquarters, taking steps to cancel its lease.

By Stacy M. Brown
NNPA Newswire Senior National Correspondent
@StacyBrownMedia
The NAACP has filed a lawsuit in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia challenging the legality of the Trump administration’s decision to dismantle the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB). The civil rights organization argues that the move undermines protections for Black, elderly, and vulnerable consumers, leaving them exposed to financial exploitation. NAACP President and CEO Derrick Johnson condemned the administration’s actions, calling them a reckless assault on consumer protections. “Once again, we are witnessing the dangerous impacts of an overreaching executive office. The Trump Administration’s decision to dismantle the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau opens the floodgates for unethical and predatory practices to run rampant,” Johnson stated. “We refuse to stand idly by as our most vulnerable communities are left unprotected due to irresponsible leaders. From seniors and retirees, disabled people, and victims of disaster to so many more, our nation stands to face immense financial hardship and adversity as a result of the elimination of the CFPB. If our President refuses to put people over profit, the NAACP will use every tool possible to put Americans first.”
The lawsuit comes after a series of drastic actions following the ouster of CFPB Director Rohit Chopra. President Trump replaced Chopra with Russell Vought, who immediately instructed staff not to perform any work tasks and ordered the closure of the agency’s headquarters, taking steps to cancel its lease. Vought also suspended all investigations, rulemaking, public communications, and enforcement actions. Keisha D. Bross, NAACP Director of Opportunity, Race, and Justice, said the organization maintains its commitment to restoring the bureau’s critical role in protecting consumers. “The CFPB is an agency of the people. From the protection from junk fees to fighting excessive overdraft fees, providing assistance to impacted victims of natural disasters, and holding predatory practices accountable, the NAACP stands firm in bringing back the CFPB,” Bross said. “The NAACP will fight to hold financial entities responsible for the years of inequitable practices from big banks and lenders.”
The lawsuit, filed alongside the National Treasury Employees Union (NTEU), the National Consumer Law Center, the Virginia Poverty Law Center, and the CFPB Employee Association, argues that the administration’s actions violate the Constitution and the Administrative Procedure Act. According to the complaint, the Trump administration has taken deliberate steps to dismantle the CFPB, including firing 70 employees via form email, canceling over $100 million in vendor contracts, and shutting down the agency’s consumer complaint system, which processes hundreds of thousands of cases monthly. The plaintiffs warn that these actions will leave millions of Americans defenseless against financial fraud and predatory lending practices. The lawsuit details the harm already inflicted by the agency’s closure. Among those affected is Rev. Eva Steege, an 83-year-old pastor with a terminal illness who was seeking student loan forgiveness through a CFPB-facilitated program. Her meeting with CFPB staff was abruptly canceled, leaving her without recourse to resolve her debt before passing.
The NAACP and other plaintiffs seek an immediate injunction to halt the administration’s actions and restore the CFPB’s operations. The legal challenge argues that the President has no unilateral authority to dismantle an agency created by Congress and that Vought’s appointment as acting director is unlawful. President Trump has made no secret of his desire to eliminate the CFPB, confirming last week that his administration was working to “totally eliminate” the agency. Tech billionaire Elon Musk, a key player in Trump’s “Department of Government Efficiency,” celebrated the move with a social media post reading “CFPB RIP.”
If successful, the lawsuit could force the administration to reinstate the agency and resume its enforcement actions against financial institutions accused of predatory practices. “Neither the President nor the head of the CFPB has the power to dismantle an agency that Congress established,” the plaintiffs argue. “With each day the agency remains shut down, financial institutions that seek to prey on consumers are emboldened—harming their law-abiding competitors and the consumers who fall victim to them.”
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