Fight Continues Against New Charter Schools in Oakland
A coalition of Ond students, educators, parents, unions, school board members and community groups caravaned to Sacramento to ask the State Board of Ed to reject the Latitude charter petition from the Education For Change charter organization.
By Shelly Weintraub and Emily Filloyakla
On a hot day in the middle of summer, 40 Oaklanders—students from 12-18 years old, teachers, OUSD Board members, community groups, and union members—went to Sacramento to urge the State Board of Education (SBE) to vote NO on the proposed new charter school Latitude 37.8.
The coalition was led by the students and staff of Fremont High who feared that the approval of Latitude, an Education for Change (EFC) charter, would adversely affect their school, forcing even more draconian cuts to Fremont’s budget than it has already sustained.
The State Board approved Latitude, but a question remains: was this the defeat it appeared to be?
Over months the coalition had developed a strong message, asking our elected officials to strengthen OUSD’s existing schools, not undermine them by adding another charter school, especially after a study earlier in the year found that charter schools are costing OUSD $57 million each year.
They also pointed out the weaknesses of the charter’s petition, including the charter organization’s failure to enroll African-American students at comparable rates to the District, their system-wide failure to serve the highest-needs Special Education students, and troubling academic and financial trends inside Education for Change’s schools.
The organizing was successful in convincing both OUSD and the county board of education to reject the petition.
After being denied by the District and County boards, the charter organization appealed to the appointed, not elected, State Board of Education. As people gathered for the hearing Gema Quetzal, a OUSD student board director said, “I was shocked at how many people showed up—how much our community cared. There were not only people from District 5, but Life Academy and Castlemont, as well as parents and elders.”
Students implored the State Board to vote no, explaining that Latitude would be opened at their school’s expense.
Juan Matias Pablo, an 11th grader at Fremont High born in Guatemala said, “I love Fremont High, it’s like a second family to me. I learned English at Fremont. If Latitude is approved, it will mean cuts to Fremont. Programs like the one where I learned English might be cut.”
Renee Swayne, a retired teacher, observed, “The students were extremely articulate. They were committed and informed. They made everyone proud.”
The vote, as expected, was in favor of Latitude 7-1-1. Expected because the State Board of Education has a history of Continue reading: Fight Continues Against New Charter Schools in Oakland - Oakland Post
