COUNCIL PRESIDENT PRO TEMPORE SHENG THAO’S STATEMENT ON THE PASSAGE OF A RESOLUTION CALLING ON THE STATE TO HALT SCHOOL CLOSURES
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE - February 15, 2022
Press Contact:
Brandon Harami, Council Aide
bharami@Oaklanca.gov
Oakland, California - Today the Oakland City Council unanimously passed a resolution introduced by Council President Pro Tempore Sheng Thao and her colleagues Council President Nikki Fortuno Bas, Vice Mayor Rebecca Kaplan, and Councilmember Carroll Fife calling upon Governor Newsom and the State Legislature to eliminate OUSD’s outstanding state debt to prevent closures, and amend state law to revise the Average Daily Attendance formula to remove penalizing schools when children are sick.
This resolution passed 6 days after Assemblymember Mia Bonta joined Pro Tem Thao to announce the introduction of Assembly Bill 1912, which would help begin the process of reversing school closures and give OUSD and the state more time to address the systemic issues that caused this crisis.
Council President Pro Tempore Sheng Thao States: “I am proud the City of Oakland has joined the thousands of students, families, educators, and city leaders in demanding a reversal of the proposed school closures. In the richest state in the richest nation in human history there is absolutely no reason we should be closing down public schools serving black and brown communities.
“With a record surplus, there is no reason the State of California cannot step in and halt these closures. It is the moral and just thing to do.”
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Read Resolution Here
Read Press Release Announcing Resolution Here
See Press Conference with Assemblymember Mia Bonta Here