Oakland Families Don’t Want Their Elementary School Closed. So They’ve Taken It Over

Moms and their children offer their own “community school” on campus

Latest

Azlinah Tambu, a Parker parent, speaks with reporters visiting Parker K-8 school during the rally there on Wednesday, May 25. Credit: Amir Aziz

Editor’s Note: The following paragraphs are excerpted from an article by Ashley McBride, published in Oaklandside.org on June 1, about the hotly contested Oakland School Board’s decision to close Parker Elementary School in Oakland, California. Two Oakland Unified schools will close this year and next year, five more schools will permanently close. See the full article at https://oaklandside.org/2022/06/01/parker-elementary-occupation-protest-oakland-school-closures/

“When a group of moms found out four months ago that their children’s school would be permanently closed at the end of the year, they made a promise to each other: They would try everything in their power to keep Parker, a 96-year-old East Oakland school, operating. 

“On the last day of school, May 25, Parker promoted its final eighth and fifth-grade classes during emotional ceremonies.

“It was supposed to be one of the happiest times for these kids. And instead of watching them walk that stage happily, we watched them cry, hang on to their friends, and not want to leave the school,” said Azlinah Tambu, a mom of two Parker students. “So me, a group of mothers, children, and community members decided to stay after graduation and not leave.

“The group of about half a dozen families has occupied Parker since then, and doesn’t have plans to leave unless Oakland Unified School District reverses its decision to close the school. Other community leaders, neighbors, and education advocates stop by to take shifts for supervision and security, or to drop off donations . . .”

Please read the full article at https://oaklandside.org/2022/06/01/parker-elementary-occupation-protest-oakland-school-closures/

+ Articles by this author

Ashley McBride reports on education equity for The Oaklandside. She covered the 2019 Oakland Unified School District teachers’ strike as a breaking news reporter for the San Francisco Chronicle. More recently, she was an education reporter for the San Antonio Express-News where she covered several local school districts, charter schools, and the community college system. McBride earned her master’s degree in journalism from Syracuse University, has held positions at the Palm Beach Post and the Poynter Institute, and is a recent Hearst Journalism Fellow.

Free to republish but please credit the People's Tribune. Visit us at www.peoplestribune.org, email peoplestribune@gmail.com, or call 773-486-3551.

The People’s Tribune brings you articles written by individuals or organizations, along with our own reporting. Bylined articles reflect the views of the authors. Unsigned articles reflect the views of the editorial board. Please credit the source when sharing: ©2024 peoplestribune.org. Please donate to help us keep bringing you voices of the movement. Click here. We’re all volunteer, no paid staff.

LEAVE A REPLY

Please enter your comment!
Please enter your name here

Featured

ICE Terror Campaign Threatens Us All

Several recent Facebook reels show how ICE is ramping up its campaign of terror against immigrants, citizens and protestors alike as the effort to create a police state continues and resistance grows. One creator speaks to the significance of Haitians now being targeted.

Medicaid Defenders in Wheelchairs Arrested Ahead of Senate Budget Vote

Over 60 people, including grandmas in wheelchairs, were arrested in the U.S. Senate Rotunda in a nonviolent protest against cuts like Medicaid and the SNAP food program in Trump’s “Big Beautiful Budget Bill.”

Zohran Mamdani Delivers Stunning Blow to ‘Billionaire-Backed Status Quo’ in NYC

New York City proved that a movement powered by hope, courage, and working class people can beat the money of billionaires.

The American People Want Peace, Not War!

The US's immoral and illegal attack on Iran threatens the whole world with war. The American people have a special responsibility to come out into the streets and rein in the US government, which has become a rogue state.

Juneteenth 2025: ‘We Have to Win this Fight,’ Hannah-Jones Tells Black Graduates

Journalist Nikole Hannah-Jones addressed Black graduates at Harvard University, telling them that "we are about to see unleashed upon us an America that we have not had to live in. And we have to win this battle."

More from the People's Tribune