Is in closed session, but we will hear public comments and closed session items before we begin. Tonight in closed session, we will discuss labor matters d one. Oh, sorry. I'm jumping right into it. Roll call, please, to establish Yes. On the roll call to establish quorum, Student director Simmons, student director Vasquez, otherwise excused. Director Latta? Present. K. Director Williams? Present, sir. Director Hutchinson? Present. Director Barry? Present. Director Thompson? Present. Vice president, a bachelor?
Here. And president Brohard? Present. Quorum, present. And mister Sechaub, can we have translation check, please? No translation? Okay. Just double check. Alright. Tonight in closed session, we will discuss Labor Matters D one twenty four-nineteen 20 six, Conference with Labor Negotiators. Item D2, 20 two-twelve 83, conference with legal counsel, existing litigation. Public Employment, D3, 20 four-nineteen 67, public I'm sorry. Public employment. I think we will reconvene to public session once we are done with,
closed session. Right now, are there any public comments on closed session items? Yes, President Bruhlhardt. We have five speakers. Two minutes each. Two minutes to be noted. Carrie Kaufman, Asado Lobala, Jasmine Richardson, David, last name, r e I m a, and George, last name, p a r I g u a. I I think the most important thing is, as it relates to the superintendent, the lack of transparency by this body. The public should have had a right to weigh in on any deliberations
related to the status of her employment. You denied us that opportunity. Had it not been for board member, Mike Hutchinson, we would have no idea of what's going on. What we do know is that in August of last year, you agreed to renew the contract of superintendent. Board President, you voted yes. This member of the board voted no. You voted to abstain. She got five votes. And that contract, for whatever reason, was understood that she would not be in a position to remain the superintendent,
that you would be looking for a new superintendent. That was already discussed. She was transitioning out. For whatever reason, you decided you wanted her out right now. We need to know why you made a change in plans from August to this current position you're in. The only thing I know about what you're doing is what I'm reading in the newspapers. So I read recently that you have a voluntary separation agreement, that you and superintendent Johnson jointly agree that she will continue as the superintendent emeritus
July first to January fifteen of twenty twenty six, and she will help with the transition according to a joint statement released by Johnson Trammell and the and the board. When did that happen? So we have no trust that you're going through a process that is fair, transparent, and allows for the best interest of the students and the faculty of this district. This underhanded backdoor method that you've engaged in doesn't sit well with me and I'm
sure with the rest of the people in here that will speak. So whatever is gonna happen in the future, do not engage. And thank you, mister Hutchinson, for allowing us to know what's going on. Hello, Board. Thank you for having me. I appreciate the topics at hand today. My name is Carey Kaufman. I am the President of United Administrators for Oakland Schools. We represent principals, assistant principals, site administrators, central office administrators. I want to first and foremost appreciate all of our principals for their hard work. As everyone knows, Thursday,
May 1 is National Principal Appreciation Day. Please make sure to personally thank your principals for their work. Public attacks targeting school administrators are unacceptable. Bullying, intimidating and threatening us only detracts from the vital work which is to create and support conditions for student learning. Politics should never play a role in principals completing their job duties and OUSD senior leaders should not rescind principals' decisions based on political pressure from OEA leadership or the school board. Regularly, principals are threatened by OEA leadership.
I brought this up last week and instead of reflecting on their poisonous tactics, they escalated. Over the weekend, OEA leadership posted on Facebook that all principals are bullies and racists. This accusation is reprehensible and shows everyone how OEA leadership comports themselves. As you know, this information is wrong. Our principals are dedicated fighters for equity. No principal has put anyone on leave. Only two people have that authority in this district, Tera Gard and Jeff Dillon. In one situation, an Oye leader has made specific threats of harm to a principal and an assistant principal.
It seems that these concerns were so, so much that talent determined this person needed to be put on leave pending investigation. While this leader has been on leave when they are not allowed on school property because of their threats to hurt the principal and assistant principal are being investigated, he returns to campus over and over again. He returned yesterday, he returned today. The reason? To intimidate our members into rescinding what he earned with his actions and his behavior. OEA leadership's actions are a poison to our community and our schools. They are creating hostile environments at our schools that negatively impact student learning and student
safety. How can you task principals with keeping students safe when they are not giving safe conditions to work with, when principals don't feel safe at work because of OEA leadership's actions? Hi, Oakland. High school board. I'm a teacher at one of our district four middle schools, and I'm here because I believe we really need to clear up some misinformation that's been communicated leading up to this special board meeting. First, it's so important to remember that OUSD has historically used the Oakland community and this
orchestrated sentiment that teachers are striking for no reason to evade the district's own responsibility to engage in fair and just democratic practices. So when you see these inflammatory anti union, anti teacher emails go out, it's important to question the rhetoric. So let's cut through some of the propaganda. The reason OEA is considering a one day strike is because the district has violated their legal requirement to fulfill information requests and provide clear budget information five times this
school year. So when the district says we're in a $95,000,000 deficit budget crisis and the only solution is sweeping cuts and closures to schools, to crucial programs, to positions and jobs across the district, even initially suggesting cuts to educator health care, but then won't provide us any data to support the need to cut these programs and positions even when they're legally required to? Is the district not sharing the numbers with us because their math doesn't add up? For example, early on this school year,
even admits information suppression, OEA was able to prove that the loss of revenue from students leaving our district alone due to the projected cuts and closures would outweigh any projected savings, and that changed the school board's mind on the district's initially proposed budget. That's why it's crucial OUSD is held accountable to sharing clear information. So, Oakland, I urge you not to fall for the rhetoric. Teachers are considering this strike only if the district does not resolve their unfair labor charges and negotiations tomorrow night.
If we want stability for our schools, and we all do, we need the community to stop being weaponized against our teachers. When that happens, we will stand together in a unified struggle, and the district will be forced to support our schools and will be forced to support our students. Thank you. Hi there. My name is David Ryman. I'm a t a parent of two students in, the district of Joaquin Miller Elementary. My students and I were happy to support OEA on the picket lines two years ago. We brought coffee and donuts.
We marched with the teachers. And so I wanna start by saying that I come from a place of solidarity with, the union. At the same time, this strike seems misguided. From the outside, it doesn't seem like it is a last resort action. Rather, it seems like it's a show of strength on International Workers' Day, simply to say we have the power to do this at any time. I get that there's a demand for greater transparency around budget decisions, but requesting more or more specific information seems like it would better be adjudicated in
a court rather than in our classrooms, especially during SBAC testing, which affects about half of the students, for this whole week, third through eighth grade. We have this hundred million dollar shortfall. If we can't address the shortfall, then, OUSC will go back into state receivership, which means that we as an Oakland community will not have any say in how our budget is spent. And the reason why we're in this crisis at least in part is that, OUSC enrollment is declining faster than Oakland is losing population.
In other words, people are voting with their feet, if they are unhappy with what's going on. I told a coworker of mine that, there was gonna be a strike on Thursday, and he said, oh, again, I'm so glad I got the bleep out of Oakland, which, is not indicative of the entire community or of my workplace, but it is indicative of the fact that parents recognize that this is happening with unnecessary frequency. The biggest thing that we need to do as a school board, as the union, and as the district is bring everyone together and give parents and students the stability
to know that the district has their back, that the teachers have their back, and the board has their back. Thank you very much. Hello. Hello, school board members and community. My name is Jorge. I am a teacher over at Oakland High School, and I am a union member of Oakland Education Association. I came here to express my concern of how the district is not only withholding information, for the union, but also their blatant anti union rhetoric, that they are using against us.
Time and time again, our bargaining team and union leadership have tried to meet and discuss with the union and I'm sorry, with the district in good faith. And yet, the district continues to undermine our efforts, continues and even goes so far as to approve cuts to both classified and certified jobs, as well as cut our wages. And when we ask for further information about why this these decisions have been made, the district refuses to hand over any of that information. Even now, the union is willing to come to the table and negotiate and do anything it
can to avert the strike. But the district needs to do their part. We are not happy to strike. No one in the history of labor has ever been happy to go on strike. Because as we all know, going on strike means we don't get paid for that day. But workers choose to strike when all options have failed. And the bosses fail to meet the workers' demand. And that's what is happening right now. Therefore, as the board and as the district, you must do your part and work with the union. Please come to the table in good faith,
provide the information that we need in order to do our jobs, and do everything you can to not cut jobs, not cut wages, and keep our schools safe and secure for all of our students. Thank you. President Blueheart, that includes public speakers. With that, we'll go into closed session. And I need to remind the press, you also need to leave, as well as our community members. So I appreciate the community members who came to speak tonight. Thank you. So we should reconvene around 08:30 is what the planned time is. No. No. No. Roll call.
Yes. On the roll call to establish quorum, student directors are absent. Director Ladder? Present. K. Director Williams? Present, sir. Director Hutchinson? Present. Director Berry? Present. K. Director Thompson? Present. Vice president Bachelor? Here. And president Breauxhall? Here. Oh, Warm present. Thank you. Okay. Report out of closed session, 04/23/2025. On Labor Matters, D1 twenty four-nineteen twenty six, conference with labor negotiators. The Board gave direction on this matter. Item two,
B2 20 two-twelve 83, existing litigation. The board gave direction on this item. Motion, Vice President Batchelor second, Director Williams yes, four No, two. Abstain, one. Item three, D3.24-nineteen 76, Public Employment. The Board took action on this item. The interim superintendent position will be posted for internal candidate applicants. Thank you. Brenda, we are adjourned.