Oakland has been a playground for the privatization industry for many years. The state took control of Oakland in 2003 because of a budget deficit and removed its school board. Billionaire Eli Broad selected its new superintendent (and his successors), and reformers took charge, opening charter schools and promising revolutionary improvement. Their goal was to turn the public schools into a “free market.” Five years after the takeover, Oakland had 32 charter schools and 111 regular public schools. Needless to add, there was no dramatic improvement in Oakland. Today, Oakland has the highest proportion of students in charter schools of any city in California.
Tom Ultican wrote here about the saturation of Oakland by billionaire privatizers, who just can’t leave the district alone and are determined to pour in more resources until there are no public schools left.
Four advocates of public schools are running for the school board.
They are: Sam Davis (District 1), VanCedric Williams (District 3), Mike Hutchinson (District 5) and Victor Valerio (District 7).
Tom Ultican posed this question:
Community based schools run under the authority of an elected school board have served as the foundation for American democracy for two centuries. Feckless billionaires operating from hubris or theological commitment or a desire to avoid taxes or a pursuit of more wealth are sundering those foundations.
Will activists of good will be able to throw off the yoke of billionaire financed tyranny and defend their public schools in Oakland?
If you live in Oakland, please support these candidates.
Diane Ravitch's blog 
“Four advocates of public schools are running for the school board.
They are: Sam Davis (District 1), VanCedric Williams (District 3), Mike Hutchinson (District 5) and Victor Valerio (District 7).”
The above implies that there are only four (4) “advocates of public schools” that are running for the Oakland school board. But that is not true. There are more than four candidates for Oakland school board that progressive Oakland community groups are endorsing as “advocates of public schools.”
One of the largest progressive group in the Oakland Community is the teachers’ union, the Oakland Education Association (OEA).
And, while the OEA’s endorsed slate is almost the same as the Educators for Democratic Schools (EDS) slate, a difference is the OEA endorses long time Oakland Community activist and retired teacher Ben “Coach” Tapscott.
Oakland uses rank choice voting for its school board elections. The OEA for District 7 ranked Mr. Tapscott #1 and EDS candidate #2. The EDS slate reversed the OEA ranking making Mr. Tapscott their recommended #2 choice..
All of the candidates on either slate are “advocates for public schools”. Oakland finally has an Oakland School Board election where there is an excess of candidates that are “advocates for public schools.” That is an important change thanks to the advocacy of folks such as Diane Ravitch.
Thank you, Jim. I am grateful for the correction.
New tune, but same old song. It’s breathtaking the amount of money outside interests are willing to throw at Oakland school board races, but not really surprising given the size of the $$$ trough and the value of our local real estate. This info from Parents United shows in-depth detail of the usual privatizer machinations…https://ousdparentsunited.com/2020/10/10/what-can-we-expect-from-the-go-endorsed-school-board-candidates-more-of-the-same/
two key words often missed by those who argue the testing/reform battle: real estate
Parents United just posted this handy info graphic of more money being infiltrated in the Oakland race.