Students, Teachers, Parents March Ahead of Oakland Schools Closure Vote; Hunger-Striking Teacher to Hospital
OAKLAND (KPIX 5) -- In the final hours before the Oakland Unified School District votes on a plan for 16 school closures and mergers, students, parents and teachers marched in the streets Tuesday, to make their voices heard and prevent any schools from closing.
At 12:15 p.m., students from Westlake Middle School and MetWest High School walked out of class as a message to the school board. Eleventh grader Jordan Benjamin is worried about losing his school community.
"Find somewhere else to go to school, which is probably the best option," said Benjamin. "Maybe they'll start listening to us once they start losing kids. "I don't know, I have mixed feelings about it."
"It's treating the students and families of Oakland like they are completely disposable to close schools and force students across town or families out of their schools," said OUSD Special Education teacher Mark Airgood.
District administrators say the 16 campuses need to be closed or merged because of budget issues.
"If approved, consolidation would happen through mergers, elimination of some grades at specific schools, and closures, an it would happen over the course of the next two schools years," the district said in a prepared statement. "The District knows this is a painful topic for so many people because of how vital schools are to their surrounding communities, and how important a place they hold for students, staff and families. At the same time, the District faces an uncertain financial future…"
Two OUSD teachers, Maurice-Andre San-Chez and Moses Omolade are on day eight of a hunger strike to stop the potential closures. On Tuesday, the physical condition of both men had worsened.
"This is a critical time for them," said family medicine resident Dr. Olivia Park. "Because of their pre-existing conditions, the risks and harms of not eating for eight days is exacerbated."
Omolade was taken to the emergency room for evaluation, but says he will not eat until the State of California steps in with a $35 million budget surplus and Governor Gavin Newsom comes to Oakland to meet with them.
"Tell Newsom to come here," said Omolade. He always here when he gotta get photos."
"My babies are worth it. My babies," said San-Chez. "That's why I'm here and that's why I'm doing what I'm doing because I love these kids."
In a statement released this afternoon, OUSD said:
"The District respects and appreciates the differences of opinion on the issue of possible consolidation of schools. We know that this is an incredibly personal issue to so many of our students, families and staff, and that there have been passionate protests across the district. And we strongly support the right to protest. We also have very serious concerns regarding our two staff members who are protesting by engaging in a hunger strike."