The Oakland, California, school board closed a number of schools because of a budget shortfall, although the closure of these schools would not solve the shortfall, and many offered services that benefited children, families & the community. Over 4 hours, hundreds of students & parents spoke out against the closure of their beloved school. Not a single student or parent supported the closings. In a lengthy public statement published on her blog on Monday morning, Shanthi Gonzales denounced the increasingly hostile discourse surrounding public education in Oakland, which has led to protests, strikes, and personal insults lobbed at school board members. She also called out the lack of progress the district has made in supporting students’ academic needs, and slammed the Oakland Education Association teachers union and its supporters for resisting moves to improve the quality of schools"
At truthout.org
