Sit-in launched to protest Oakland school closures

June 15 ended the school year for thousands of students in the city of Oakland. But at one public school, Lakeview Elementary, located in the flatlands of this city, a determined coalition of parents, students, teachers and community members started an open-ended sit-in to stop the closure of that school and four others in this city.

Joel Velasquez, his son Zacquiel and friend Sincere at the rally on the last day of school. WW photo: Judy Greenspan

The occupation of Lakeview Elementary arose out of a year-long struggle to stop the closure of 30 Oakland public schools. Protest marches organized and supported by a community coalition of parents, teachers, students, Occupy Oakland activists and others brought out thousands of people.

Oakland School Superintendent Tony Smith finally backed down from closing such a large number of struggling schools. However, the School Board voted and approved the closure of five Oakland elementary schools. According to the organizers of today’s sit-in action, four of the five schools slated for closure are predominantly Black and the fifth is mostly Latino/a. In addition, four of the closed schools — Santa Fe, Marshall, Maxwell Park and Lazear Elementary — will be replaced by charter schools, which are privately run and controlled.

At a rally on school grounds following the last school bell of the year, parents and teachers alike described how the community will be destabilized by the neighborhood school closure. Young people and their families from Lakeview Elementary then camped out overnight on the school grounds.

The next day, a rally in front of the school drew more than 150 people. Many students came with their families. Zacquiel, the son of one of the parent organizers, led chants on the bullhorn. Nick Palmquist, a member of Education for the 99% (a group of community allies and Occupy Oakland activists), challenged the Oakland school board to reopen the closed schools. “They can find trillions of dollars to bail out the banks and fight wars all over the world. You mean they can’t find $2 million to keep our schools open and running?” Palmquist said.

Joel Velasquez, a parent of two Lakeview students and a leader of this fightback, implored the crowd to become more involved. “Nobody has the power to take away our children’s education,” he said. “How can the richest nation in the world not have enough money?” Velasquez said.

Pam Chin, a Lakeview veteran teacher of 25 years, also spoke out against the school closures. Chin talked about what Lakeview has meant to her and to her students.

On June 18, the Lakeview community opened a “People’s School for Public Education” that was immediately shut down by the Oakland police, who issued a stay away order. A rally was called for later that afternoon to defend the occupation.

The sit-in organizers announced plans to hold a rally every day at 2 p.m. Community members are being urged to come down to Lakeview Elementary, 746 Grand Avenue, Oakland, to support this struggle.

(This writer is an elementary school teacher in nearby Richmond.)