Re: Oakland

[George Sheridan <learn@jps.net>]

At 08:09 PM 7/10/2006 -0700, Susan Harman wrote:
> Oakland is engaged in a very serious struggle to regain local control of 
> its schools, having suffered through 3 years of state takeover. Our debt 
> has doubled (maybe tripled, if we cant stop the last draw down), over 20 
> schools have been closed, seasoned teachers have fled, etc.
> Ive been going to the Ad Hoc Committees meetings and would like to say I 
> represent CalCARE. Anybody have any objections?

Dear Susan:

The Oakland Education Association represents the teachers of Oakland. It 
opposes the state takeover and school closings. OEA disrupted plans by the 
leadership of the California Teachers Association for an early endorsement 
of State Superintendent Jack O'Connell because of his support for Oakland 
Administrator Randall Ward, as well as O'Connell's role in California's 
testing and "accountability" system, particularly the High School Exit Exam.

I want CalCARE to be generally allied with the Oakland Education 
Association. I expect you to use your own judgment on each particular 
issue. But I don't want CalCARE to be identified with a broad-based attack 
on the union, which I believe would be a seriously flawed and 
self-defeating strategy. Some people on this list are critical of unions in 
general and of OEA in particular. I consider teacher unions to be among the 
most important institutions supporting liberty, democracy, and progressive 
causes. So if you speak for all of CalCARE, including me, I'd like you to 
keep my opinions in mind.


George Sheridan

"The stakes are too high for government to be a spectator sport." - Barbara 
Jordan