Oakland School Board meeting turns chaotic after protesters take over, forcing board to leave | abc7news.com

Oakland School Board meeting turns chaotic after protesters take over, forcing board to leave | abc7news.com

Oakland School Board meeting turns chaotic after protesters take over, forcing board to leave

OAKLAND, Calif. (KGO) -- Wednesday's Oakland School Board meeting turned into chaos after protesters upset about school closures disrupted things and then took over the meeting forcing the board to leave.

"Out with the school board, in with democracy," said one speaker.

It took only minutes for protesters to derail the Oakland Unified School Board Meeting.

Many parents and teachers are upset about the closure and consolidation of several schools due to declining enrollment.

Board president Jody London tried to keep order telling speakers they were out of order from the agenda.

Then this happened- the entire room, turned its back on the school board, chanting: "no school closures, Oakland is not for sale."

At the Oct. 23 meeting protesters clashed with police inside the meeting room after protesters jumped over a barricade separating them from the school board, arrests were made.

"No apology, no one accepted responsibility," said one speaker.

Parent Saru Jayaraman says she was injured that night, she wants the district to stop spending money on its police force.

"That money could be spent to save schools and keep them open," said Jayaraman.

Minutes later she confronted District Spokesman John Sasaki, demanding an apology.

"Shame on you, shame on you, you have no heart," said Jayaraman.

Board members were forced to leave the auditorium and continue their meeting in an upstairs room, no public allowed- only by a video camera,

Kids then took their places at the meeting.

"We were hoping to have a meeting in the great room, face to face, but that didn't happen," said OUSD spokesman John Sasaki.

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Oakland School Board meeting turns chaotic after protesters take over, forcing board to leave | abc7news.com