Mia Bonta's bill would send OUSD about $10 million that was in the prior year's state budget, without an obligation to close or consolidate its schools, as is now required.
The closure plan approved by the Oakland Board of Education, which also includes the merger of two other schools, comes after more than a week of protests by students, teachers and parents.
City, state, and labor leaders gathered Wednesday afternoon at Oakland City Hall to speak out against the decision by the Oakland school board to close, merge or reduce grades for 11 schools, a decision rejected by many in the community.
The Oakland Unified District school board early Wednesday morning voted to close or merge nearly a dozen schools over the next two years, despite community objections and even a hunger strike by two teachers not to do so.
Oakland, California “This isn’t a budget fight; this is a war,” said Jessica Black, Black Sanctuary Director of the Black Organizing Project, at the night’s massive rally against school closures in downtown Oakland Feb. 4. Black, who is an organizer of Reparations for Black Students, stated further, “This is a…