Comments on: An Oakland Unified parent’s wish list for 2013

By: Kristen Wilson

Kristen Wilson — Tue, 19 Mar 2013 05:45:43 +0000

As a CAC member and active parent we have been consistent and charismaric letter writers. Keeping our focus on SPED and OUSD as a whole. Our Director just resigned after a few brief months so it is back to square one in a sense. We are indeed speaking out coming together and making meaningful moves as parents. We have meetings the first monday of every month 6:30 sites are announced. @ Mark post your email and I will personally fwd info to you

By: Juanster

Juanster — Tue, 19 Feb 2013 23:58:59 +0000

Mark is right on the cathartic mark for anxious parents who need to vent their frustration and concerns. However, effective follow-up is critically important. I suggest vodka on the rocks.

By: A coding error

A coding error — Sun, 17 Feb 2013 04:22:20 +0000

Actually, an independent auditor for the entire district, so that high officials don’t mess up $7.6 million, or send top administrators to cultural trips, or useless conferences while school is in session, or food for district events attended by 5 people… the list continues.

By: mark

mark — Sat, 16 Feb 2013 21:00:40 +0000

Thank you for posting this most valuable article. The key to change is for the parents to speak out. If the parents do not speak out then change will not occur. This means that parents need to write letters to teachers, principals, administration, as well as school board members in my opinion.

This article is valuable. It shows there are vast issues with regular education and Special Education at O.U.S.D. in my opinion.

Instead of reaching the boiling point, it is up to parents to begin to write letters to help administration at the highest levels be aware of difficulties so that new concrete methods of educating can be done so as to cause the root issue not to reoccur for other students and parents in the future.

With regard to special education issues, the new special education director is the key person to roll out positive changes, and the school board is to follow up too, in my opinion.

If however, parents are not involved to any great extent, then things will continue in the same way over many years, in my opinion.

By: J.R.

J.R. — Sat, 16 Feb 2013 00:29:50 +0000

As a parent of a special needs child, I know we need to stop spending so much of our resources away from the classroom and students. What is required for academic excellence is not so-called experts who never step in the classroom and help(they just dream up more and more frivolous ways to teach and be taught). Kids actually need more one on one support right in the classroom(paraeducators and so forth)right there in the classroom working with and helping the children understand and learn the curriculum. That is where our money should go, and not to layers of bureaucracy outside of the classroom.