There is not one Black family in OUSD that hasn’t experienced the pain of anti-Black racism in our schools (such as bias, criminalization, low expectations, school closures, and push-out) – AND had to name specific solutions for their children to be protected from harm and supported to thrive. Now is the time to look at the solutions from the Black community and invest in the remaining Black students – so that every child can learn and achieve.
Over the past two decades, OUSD has closed 16 majority Black schools, forcing more than 18,000 Black students out of the district. In partnership with Black leaders calling for a greater investment in the Black community in Oakland and building off the Black Organizing Project’s recent win removing police from schools – we demand that OUSD create a multi-million dollar reparations fund and begin to invest in Black students and families to repair generations of harm.
The Reparations Resolution will ensure Black students get what they need to feel safe, healthy, and supported to succeed! The resolution includes the following demands:
We demand a new aspirational vision and a multi-million dollar reparations fund for the remaining 8,314 Black students in OUSD to thrive.
During the pandemic, Community Schools have become essential to Black families serving as hubs for much needed resources and support. A new deeper investment in the community schools model must center the needs of Black students and families and provide wrap-around services. To ensure that these schools center the needs of Black students and families we demand that OUSD:
This Reparations for Black Students campaign is a result of listening sessions with over 150 Black students, parents, educators, school and district staff from 2017 to 2019. The campaign is led by the Black Working Group of the J4OS (Justice for Oakland Students) coalition.
For more information, contact info@reparationsforblackstudents.org