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Minutes note:
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Jim Mordecai, Retired Teacher, said when he was younger he heard the term “Head Start”. He said when you cut CDCs how is a child able to get a head start?
President Yee noted for the audience comments made on Non Agenda Items, the Board under the Brown Act, is not able to respond to the public because the item has not been agendized. He said the Board is listening.
Michelle Castleberry speaking on behalf of the Castlemont Castleers said she was a student at Castlemont 26 years ago. She said she read in the newspaper there was the possibility the Castleers may not be in existence anymore. Ms. Castleberry said that would be the biggest mistake the Board could make. She said that program has turned out so many wonderful adults who come back to Oakland to do what they can.
Henry Hitz, Executive Director of Oakland Parents Together, said he would like to thank the District, Director Gallo, the Superintendent and Lynne Rodezno for doing what it takes to keep the CDCs open for school aged children through the month of August. He said on August 30th, Oakland Parents Together is prepared to do a people's takeover of the CDCs that are being forced to close. He said they will work closely with the District on how that will work. He said they have to tell Sacramento that it is not acceptable to balance the budget on the backs of the most vulnerable citizens.
Robert Newells, Castlemont Alumni, said since 1929 the Castleers have been far more than a vocal ensemble. The Castleers are a class where so many young people are encouraged to realize their highest potential. He said research commissioned by the U.S. Department of Education clearly promotes the Talent Development Approach. The stated goal for the Talent Development Model is a widespread transformation of our nation's high schools into respectful, caring and motivated learning communities, challenging all students to develop their unique gifts and talents to realize their highest academic and human potential.
Relena Ellis, Board Member for Oakland Parents Together, thanked the Board Members who made the decision in supporting Director Gallo and Vice President Dobbins to make sure the school aged programs remained open. She said at Highland CDC the students had a complete enrichment program.
Claudia Keeby, Castlemont Alumni - Class of 1974, said her daughter who is a senior this year has been a Castleer since her freshman year. She said she has seen her daughter grow just from being a Castleer. She said she noticed the Castleers are a family, not just a choir, standing for pride and value. She said to take that name away would be ludicrous.
Brenda Mims-Wilson, Castlemont Alumni - Class of 1968 and a Castleer, said if it had not been for the late Phillip Eden, the late Oscar Preston and the late Phillip Reeder, she would not be standing here fighting for the Castleers. She said each year she participates in the Alumni Choir. She said it would be a shame if the District got rid of this program. She asked the Board not to get rid of the program.
Terri Littlejohn, Grandparent, requested the Board leave Hintil at its current site until the Board has a chance to vote on the Resolution introduced at the last Board Meeting taking Hintil off the Closure List.
Steve Neat, Teacher, said he knows the District has to make the cuts somewhere. He said he would not be surprised if he could find a few contracts on the agenda that could be cut. He said cutting some of the contracts would not hurt as much as cutting CDCs and music programs.
Zenzile Legand, Castlemont Alumni - Class of 1983, said she could not believe it when she heard they were talking about ending the Castleers Program. She said as the daughter of one of the former Directors, she watched so many inter-city kids have a chance they never would have had. She said she watched kids travel to Europe, Jamaica, Canada and Hawaii and they raised their own money to get there. She said last year the auditorium at Castlemont was re-named after her dad. She said the decision to discontinue the program does not make sense. She said the current Castleers have been invited to perform in South Africa.
Phillip Lewis, Castlemont Alumni - Class of 1973, said the Castleers have a legacy going back to 1929. He said being a member of the Castleers, the students learned self-confidence, their self-esteem is lifted, it creates a sense of belonging and establishes relationships. Mr. Lewis asked the Board not to end the Castleers Program.
Dejai Johnson, Senior at Castlemont and a current Castlleer, said being a member of the Castleers has created opportunities for him to travel around the world. He said without the Castleers he does not know where he would be. He said recently his cousin was killed and that could have been him in that car instead of going to a Castleers' practice. He said the Castleers are viewed as leaders at the school.
Mark Anderson, Castlemont Alumni - Class of 1970, said he was at the school two weeks ago playing for a Praise and Worship Service in the Phillip Reeder Auditorium. He said the Castleers have had a ripple effect on Secular Music as well as Gospel Music. He said he does not understand why anyone would want to get rid of the program.
Toni Cook, Former School Board Member, spoke in support of the Castleers. She said as a tax paying Oaklander, she will ask for what is possible. She said it is possible for Director Spearman and Vice President Dobbins to counsel with Superintendent Smith, who will council with the Executive Director for High Schools, who will counsel with the Principal. She said the Board has the power to ensure that on Monday morning there will be a music class on the curriculum for the students. Ms. Cook asked Director Spearman and Vice President Dobbins to place this item on the next Board of Education Meeting Agenda so this will be a public item for which the public can get some feedback.
Al Marshall, Castlemont Alumni - Class of 1979, said his father died when he was three years old and Phillip Reeder mentored him while he was in high school. He asked the Board not to dismantle the Castleers. He said the students were invited to perform in Africa and this relationship was built last year. He asked the Board not to rob the students of their opportunity to tour Africa.
Vallie Towns, Current Director of the Castleers, said it was suggested by Matin Abdel-Qawi at the end of last school year the Castleers would be removed from the Fall Academic Schedule. She said when she went to work today, there was no Choral Program on EOSA's Schedule. She said how can you have an Arts Program without a Choir? Ms. Towns noted EOSA's Spring Brochure features the Castleers picture and said it is quite misleading because EOSA is using the brochure for recruitment purposes. Ms. Towns asked the Board to reinstate the program.
Laurice Brown said she has children attending Manzanita's CDC. She thanked Director Gallo for coming to one of their meetings and thanked Superintendent Smith for approving the August funding of the CDCs. She said it is not enough. She said parents are now scrambling to find places for their children to go on Monday. She said registration for the After School Program is this week and the After School Program costs $200 per child, in cash, if your child qualifies for a free or reduced lunch.
Adarene Hoag, Former Early Childhood Education Teacher, said she is committed to fighting for equality because it is achievable. She said Early Childhood Education is crucial. She said we cannot afford to let go of these programs. She said come Monday these centers will not close. She said parents are going to bring their students and teachers are going to teach.
Relena Ellis said her initial request was for all ECE Centers. She said the Early Childhood Education Caucus and its teachers worked on what they thought to be a collaboration with the Early Childhood Administration to come up with ideas to maintain and enhance the program. She said many of those ideas were submitted in writing to the ECE Administration and to the Board. She said it is quite disturbing the ECE Administration failed to acknowledge that the ECE Teachers requested the exploration of Title I Funding and Wrap Around Services that will keep the enrollment at capacity and on-site.
Tanya Kappner, Teacher, said the community has made it clear that it is determined to keep every CDC open. She said every young person has a right to these programs. Every child in Oakland has a fundamental right to an equal start in life. She said the attack on the program is about privatization. She said charter pre-schools are now being opened up in West Oakland. She said the School Board Member for the West Oakland area has put forth a plan in the past saying she wants all of West Oakland Schools to be charters.
Tamara Reeder, Retired Oakland Teacher, said it has been said of African Americans that each generation grows up alone. She said there has been such a diverse history at Castlemont that if you cut out this piece, you cut out the other pieces too. She said we need everything we can get to help for our young people. She said as a teacher, she knows the importance and the power of the arts and has spent many hours back stage at Castlemont helping students in that particular piece of work. She said the Castleers are more than just a choir. She said the Castleers are a part of the past, present and the future of Oakland.
Christina Green, Castlemont Alumni - Class of 2008, said the Castleers saved her life. She noted when she was having problems at home she could not wait to go to school and sing with the Castleers and be with her friends. She asked the Board to keep the Castleers.
Justin Chung, B.A.M.N., said research shows that CDCs are very effective in closing the achievement gap between minority students and privileged students. He said the CDCs lays the foundation for students and increases their chances of being successful in life, especially for bilingual students who don't speak English at home. He said it is important for the community because education is the way for them to get out of poverty.
Yvette Folarca, B.A.M.N., said she challenges the Board to keep all the CDCs open, to keep all the programs open and to make it clear the Board recognizes this community is going to keep them open. She said a four month extension is a good thing and she hopes the Board will be voting on something today. She said these programs have been shut back and forth and they are already loosing enrollment. She said all children have a right to an education.
Duane Lynn, Castleer Alumni, said being a Castleer has not only taught him the value of support and family, but it gave him the opportunity to travel. He said young men are dying. He said he is at a Board Meeting to keep curriculum that is saving the youth. He said keeping the Castleers is not only valuable, but it is a legacy. It is a foundation for so many who do not have family or an outlet. He asked the Board to keep the Castleers movement going. He said once you let this program go, you let 15 youth go.
Mark Airgood, Teacher, said he agrees with everything people before him have already said in defense of the Castleers and the CDCs. He said in terms of the CDCs, he demands they all be kept open. He said he believes the attacks on the CDCs are part of a new Jim Crow that's being waged in this country. He said it sends a message that the conditions for life for the next generation will not be better than the current generation, but what this society plans is for it to be worse.
LeeNell Jennings, Castlemont Principal (Retired), said she is concerned about the Castleers Program and all of Castlemont. She asked the Board to take a good look and investigate what is really going on at Castlemont. She said the young people who are current Castleers are our ambassadors representing the District all over the country. She asked the Board to give the students the program and the school the amount of respect it deserves.
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