Time for Public Education Defenders to Go on Offense

I went to a demonstration a few days ago that ended with the popular chant, “I believe that we will win!”  The words pleasantly reverberated in my brain an hour later, as I turned on the TV to watch my Golden State Warriors face the Houston Rockets in the NBA playoffs. When your team recently set the all-time regular-season record with 73 victories (and just 9 losses), it’s easy … Read more

Oakland’s Experience with “School Reform”

Oconnell_Gallo_Local Control
State Supt. hands Oakland "local control" and $80 million debt.

While Real School Reform will take a broad, national view, it will do so with a distinctly local perspective. “Local” means Oakland, California, where I’ve taught high school social studies since 1990 and have been a union activist for most of that time.

So shortly I’ll begin posting as a delegate from the National Education Association’s annual Representative Assembly in San Diego, but first the latest big news from Oakland: our district allegedly regained local control June 28 after six years of state administration.

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