Hilaria Barajas-Barragan, 3rd Grade Spanish Teacher at International Community School and OEA Bargaining Rep., and James Barbuto, Social Science Teacher at Skyline High School and OEA Site Rep. & OEA Bargaining Rep. joined us this Monday Meals to talk about how we can support Oakland educators and students. Tune in to learn more about the Oakland Education Association rally and their demands for safe, stable, and racially just Oakland schools, and more!
“Our struggle for a living wage and humane working conditions does also impact students and families because one of the things we are hearing from parents and families and students so much is they want teachers in their classrooms, they don’t want long term subs. They want to stop the teacher turnover to other districts like Hayward and San Leandro where so many of our great veteran teachers leave for. At least in Oakland most people understand that there’s a connection between our pay and the quality of education, the learning conditions kids get.” -James Barbuto
“We’re looking to see all of the other places and specifically cutting from central office, all the other places we can cut from before closing schools. So making sure we’re looking to see what funds we can use… before even considering closing schools, because we know of the really intense negative effects that closing a school has on communities for generations.” -Hilaria Barajas-Barragan