Bay Area

OPINION: Support Alysse Caste for County Superintendent of Schools

The reasons given by Monroe to use State of California authority at the county level and demand these school closures for the school district to “to remain a going concern” have more to do with ideology than finances. There is a view that schools should be run like business. That view has held a lot of sway for a long time without any of the market miracle results we were promised.

Published

3 years ago

June 5, 2022

Oakland Post

Alysse Caste

By Don Macleay

I voted for Alysse Castro to replace L.K. Monroe for Alameda County Superintendent of Schools

Alameda County Superintendent of Schools is one of those down-ballot elected positions that most of us do not know about, who holds the job now, or even what roll the county plays in our public education.

Most of us do not even know that the position exists.

So why do I care? Because L.K. Monroe supported the process that closed some Oakland public K-12 schools this year, and Alysse Castro knows how and why the claimed budget savings don’t really deliver as promised.

To make a long story short, when one closes a school, we still need to serve the students, employ the teachers, protect the facilities, all without the advantages of the school that we already had up and running in the neighborhood where it is needed.

All that creates new costs. In the end little, if any, money is saved by closing a school.

As to competence, background, and experience, the two candidates are highly qualified and more similar to each other than they would like to say. Incumbent Monroe has experience, and candidate Castro also has a long background in school finance and administration worthy of respect.

When it came to closing Oakland schools despite the opposition of the Oakland education community and despite our balanced school district budget, the difference came mostly down to a judgment call.

Ms. Monroe made the wrong call, and Ms. Castro has said she will change policy.

So, Alysse Castro has my vote.

Don Macleay is an Oakland parent and past District 1 school board candidate in 2016, The views expressed are personal and not official views of any organization.

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Oakland Post: Week of May 7 – 13, 2025

The printed Weekly Edition of the Oakland Post: Week of May 7 – 13, 2025

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4 days ago

May 9, 2025

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Oakland Post: Week of April 30 – May 6, 2025

The printed Weekly Edition of the Oakland Post: Week of April 30 – May 6, 2025

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1 week ago

May 4, 2025

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Asm. Corey Jackson Proposes Safe Parking for Homeless College Students Sleeping in Cars

Assemblymember Corey Jackson (D-Moreno Valley), a member of the California Legislative Black Caucus (CLBC), is the author of AB 90, which would require community colleges and California State University campuses to create overnight parking programs where students can sleep safely in their vehicles. With one in four community college students in California experiencing homelessness in the past year, Jackson says the state must act urgently.

Published

2 weeks ago

April 28, 2025

Oakland Post

Assemblymember Corey Jackson. File photo.

By Bo Tefu
California Black Media

As California’s housing crisis continues to impact students, new legislation, Assembly Bill (AB) 90, promises to allow college students without stable housing to sleep in their cars on campus, offering a stark but practical solution aimed at immediate relief.

“This just deals with the harsh realities that we find ourselves in,” he said at a recent hearing.

The bill passed its first committee vote and is gaining attention as housing affordability remains a top concern across the state. California rents are more than 30% above the national average, and long waitlists for student housing have left thousands in limbo. CSU reported more than 4,000 students on its housing waitlist last year.

Supporters stress that the bill is not a long-term solution, but a humane step toward helping students who have no other place to go. A successful pilot program at Long Beach City College has already shown that safe, supervised overnight parking can work, giving students access to restrooms, Wi-Fi, and a secure environment.

However, the CSU and community college systems oppose the bill, citing funding concerns. Critics also worry about safety and oversight. But Jackson and student advocates argue the crisis demands bold action.

“If we know students are already sleeping in their cars, why not help them do it safely?” said Ivan Hernandez, president of the Student Senate for California Community Colleges.