Superintendent urges end to Oakland teacher strike as school year nears end
OAKLAND – The superintendent of the Oakland Unified School District called on striking teachers to end a walkout that passed its seventh day on Friday.
"There are just nine school days left in the school year and our first graduation ceremony for Oakland High School is scheduled to happen on May 22,'' Kyla Johnson-Trammell said in a recorded statement.
"Without final grades, seniors may not be able to fully demonstrate that they qualify for admission, and, in some cases, their college admissions and financial aid could be at risk," she said.
The Oakland Education Association, representing about 3,000 teachers and other employees, has accused the district of failing to bargain for seven months.
In addition to seeking pay increases, the teachers are making so-called common good demands addressing homelessness, environmental issues and critical upgrades for school facilities. The district has 35,000 students.
"The bottom line is our students need to be back in school," Johnson-Trammell said.
KPIX talked to Franklin Elementary teacher/librarian Samia Khattab, who on the bargaining team. She said there has been progress and was cautiously optimistic about reaching a deal.
"We are doing it every single day with our students at the forefront of our minds. And so as we are starting to get closer to reaching an agreement, there is nothing that we want more than to be back in our classrooms with our students," said Khattab.
Tensions were on the rise this week as the strike continues. Early Thursday morning, a contractor was confronted by a line of picketing Oakland teachers at a site where an OUSD administrative building is under construction.
The incident happened early during the sixth day of the ongoing Oakland teachers strike. Teachers were picketing outside the district's new $57 million administrative center being built at the Cole campus on Union Street.
Video shows the teachers marched in front of the construction site's entrance. A contractor arriving for work inched his truck toward the protesters as he tried to get in, leading to a standoff.
"You can't block this drive like this. It's illegal!" the contractor can be heard telling the picketing teachers who refused to move and allow him to cross their line.
The contractor ended up getting out of his truck and leaving the vehicle at the gate rather than escalating the confrontation.
Teachers argue the project is misusing Measure Y funds that could be used instead to address health and safety issues at school sites.
"They are spending $57 million on this project and, at the same time, we have crumbling facilities at our schools and are asking for much needed facility upgrades," said striking Oakland teacher Divia Faris. "We have contaminants at a number of schools, we have leaking sewage, we have roofs that are falling apart. It's just ironic."
