Retired ILWU leader Clarence Thomas says privatization attacks are occurring under Democrats

By Ken Epstein

More than 100 people —teachers, parents, school activists and community leaders — came together Sunday, Jan. 23, at a Zoom town hall meeting to begin mobilizing the city to oppose the permanent closing of neighborhood schools and threatened takeover of the Oakland school district.

The town hall was sponsored by the Oakland Education Association (OEA) and the Oakland Post Salon.

After listening to speakers, the meeting divided into Zoom breakout rooms to organize to spread the news of what is happening throughout Oakland and to mobilize the communities to halt the takeover and protect the schools that are in danger of being closed this year and in the next few years.

The closing of these schools is being implemented by the Oakland school board majority under pressure from L. Karen Monroe of the Alameda County Office of Education and the Fiscal Crisis Management and Assistance Team (FCMAT) on behalf of the state.

Speakers at the town hall included OEA President Keith Brown; Kampala Taiz-Rancifer; Dr. Kimberly Mayfield, vice president of External Affairs for Holy Names University; School Board Member Mike Hutchinson; Post Publisher Paul Cobb; and retired ILWU leader Clarence Thomas, who has written a new book (available at www.MillionWorkerMarch.com).

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Another speaker was Alysse Castro, candidate for Superintendent of Alameda County Schools and currently executive director of San Francisco County Schools and a former teacher and principal.

Castro has just received the sole endorsement of the California Teachers Association, officially shifting support from the incumbent L. Karen Monroe, whom they endorsed previously.

In his remarks, Brown spoke against the threats of school closings and state takeover issued by Monroe, who threatened that FCMAT would be placed in charge of the school district if the school board did not immediately carry out cuts and closures.

Under pressure, board members had voted 5-2 to begin closing schools this year rather than taking on a fight to defend Oakland’s public schools.

“Oakland students deserve better,” Brown said after the meeting. “It is unacceptable that five school board directors will make the decision to permanently close neighborhood schools at this time.

“In November of 2020, Oakland voters rejected an agenda of closing schools,” he said. “Oakland families want robust neighborhood community schools that supports the health and safety of our students. This must be the work of our school board.”

Clarence Thomas, who described himself as a retired third-generation ILWU Local 10 member and a labor and community activist, defended public education and discussed the need to fight against the concerted attempt to privatize Oakland schools and city property and drive working people out of the city.

“The actions of the Alameda County Office of Education (ACOE), demanding the closing (of as many as) 20 community schools and a $90 million cut in the budget of OUSD, is nothing more than an act of extortion, plain and simple,” he said. “More importantly, it is an attack on the democracy of OUSD’s School Board and the community that supports its decision to not close…schools.

“These actions on the part of the ACOE only serve to undermine local school autonomy and the interests of those that will benefit from the dismantling of public education! OUSD has experienced the intervention and influence of privatization/corporatization of its schools through such billionaires as Eli Broad, and Bill and Melinda Gates.”

“This attack on our local school district is taking place while democratic Governor Gavin Newsom and State Superintendent of Instruction Tony Thurmond are in power!

“It is not a coincidence that the democratically elected officials such as former Assemblyman Rob Bonta (current attorney general, State of California) and State Senator Nancy Skinner, both facilitated the privatization of the Port of Oakland’s Howard Terminal for right-wing billionaire John Fisher, a major funder and supporter of charter schools,” Thomas said.

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Oprah Winfrey,  “O:  The Oprah Magazine” and UntilFreedom.com have installed 26 billboards in Louisville, Kentucky to “demand that the police involved in killing Breonna Taylor be arrested and charged.”

There is a quote from Oprah on the billboards :  “If you turn a blind eye to racism, you become an accomplice to it.”

Breonna was 26 years old when she was shot eight times and killed on March 13th 2020.

When you visit the UntilFreedom.com website the general public is asked to make three phone calls:

1.  To Louisville Mayor Greg Fischer, 502-574-2003 to demand that the three officers who executed the no-knock warrant be fired.
2. To Kentucky Attorney General Daniel Cameron, 502-696-5300 to demand that the three officers be charged.
3. To Interim Police Chief Robert Schroeder, 502-574-7111 to demand that there be an investigation of the shooting and the information be turned over to the Attorney General and Breonna Taylor’s lawyers.

There is a fourth call to action for Louisville residents to call their city council members and demand a ban to no-knock warrants.

UntilFreedom.com is an “intersectional social justice organization rooted in the leadership of diverse people of color to address systemic and racial injustice.”

Kiki

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