Comments on: School closures on the horizon in Oakland

By: Lisa Capuano

Lisa Capuano — Sat, 03 Sep 2011 05:33:54 +0000

Thank-you, Sue.
Mixed ability grouping is great.There are so many benefits to it, for all. Children who may be struggling academically, often are not disruptive or dismissive, unless there is disrespect or shame poured out upon them by people around them. With support, respect and effort, incredible things happen. A good teacher will assess, and differentiate learning constantly. This allows growth for all. I understand that some may not begin to understand how a teacher can do this, but I have seen it done.

By: Sue

Sue — Fri, 02 Sep 2011 22:42:28 +0000

You know, Nextset, I’m really looking forward to my Skyline GATE freshman (and his friends who also attended Montera for the last three years), disprove your worn-out theories, again.

I live in Oakland, both my kids have attended OUSD schools with good teachers and students with a range of academic abilities. The older one will be starting his sophomore year at CSUEB in a couple more weeks, and he was well educated and well prepared by his public schools. 3.88 GPA for his freshman year. I’m confident that OUSD (with our family’s involvement and support) will do as well with my younger one.

Maybe it’s time to take those sour grapes and go back to Orinda?

By: Nextset

Nextset — Fri, 02 Sep 2011 04:51:15 +0000

JG. Mixing high and low performers also discourages the low performers. Nothing they do will allow them to compete academically. So they become disruptive and dismissive. And they attack anyone they expect loyalty from if they go along with the program. We see that in the “acting white” attacks on the higher functioning black students.

The students need to be sorted by time of puberty into different programs and different campuses. As is done everywhere else. Nothing wrong with this. The right side of the curve already goes elsewhere. The bright black and brown & white students without funds are stuck in bad schools because the liberals won’t let them test out of ghetto schools. I want public schools to have a test out option into academic schools from ghetto schools. A Lowell High solution.

By: JG

JG — Fri, 02 Sep 2011 03:59:50 +0000

What does a very bright student do in a public school where so much energy and money goes to basically remedial work? If that were my child, I would have to consider sending him to a school where most of the students are on grade level. If that is not his local public school, I would do my best to find another school as many Oakland families do. Families of high achieving students of all races and incomes choose elsewhere -charters, private school, a different public school, moving outside the district. I know that it seems elitist to try to retain high functioning students when we have so many underachievers but to improve the entire district we need to retain good students any way possible. It wouldn’t cost anymore and it would bring in ADA.

By: Nextset

Nextset — Thu, 01 Sep 2011 14:39:40 +0000

JG: That’s very unlikely in my experience. The cognitive “difference” becomes acute after puberty. That “difference” expresses itself in behavior from deportment to aggression to sexuality – we are talking about physical differences not just “educational” differences. Staying in urban public schools through middle school does not indicate that the family wants to keep their children through the district high school especially when there are cheap or free alternatives – as well as moving to a better neighborhood.

In order to keep the higher SES students the districts must offer segregated schools – such as Lowell High at San Francisco Unified. I use that word for a reason. I’m not describing strict segregation by race although there is that feature in some ways. I mean (more or less voluntary) segregation by cognitive skill.

OUSD and the other such districts have a choice and San Francisco has made theirs. Good luck to all, but there is not a lot of time left. These charters weren’t around 2 generations ago and they are aggressively advertising. If the urban districts let deportment and discipline go they will have NO higher SES students left to speak of at the post pubescent schools.

By: JG

JG — Thu, 01 Sep 2011 05:59:17 +0000

OUSD is already losing many students whose parents do not want them going to our middle schools. At one k-5 school in East Oakland, out of the 4 African American 5th grade male students there, all were proficient in math and reading – 1 left for another district and 2 went to charter schools. This is a brain drain as well as a loss of money to the district. Going to a k-8 school may convince some parents to keep middle grade students in the district. And maybe some will stay long enough to go to Oakland high schools.

By: Katy Murphy

Katy Murphy — Thu, 01 Sep 2011 04:32:58 +0000

STEM stands for science, technology, engineering and math. There’s a new initiative to create an emphasis in those areas at West Oakland’s elementary, middle and high schools.

By: holly smith

holly smith — Thu, 01 Sep 2011 04:26:04 +0000

The list they are going to present does not include schools that are going to be restructured. This restructuring will be the end of the small school movement in Oakland. The district will eventually combine all of the small schools that share a campus. It seems like they are very interested in k-8 campuses. This will not only effect the elementary schools, but also existing middle schools. If Manzanita SEED goes k-8 and Think College Now goes k-8, that will greatly impact enrollment at existing middle schools in a negative way. Will they then propose to shut down middle schools?

By: Teacher

Teacher — Thu, 01 Sep 2011 01:30:39 +0000

What is STEM?

By: Lacy Asbill

Lacy Asbill — Wed, 31 Aug 2011 17:52:41 +0000

A list of schools recommended for closure will be released at the 10/26 board meeting. This list is not an actual closure list, as the board may remove schools from this list at their discretion. My suggestion? If this is important to you, get active by participating in the process–board meetings are posted on the OUSD website, and they accept public comment at every meeting, on every topic.