| Under the order of Alameda County Superintendent of Schools, Alysse Castro, the now-vacant District 5 school board seat in Oakland is going to be filled with someone elected by the public this November 7, 2023.
There are major implications for quality schools in this important election, which will happen in what is typically an off-year. The seat was vacated when Mike Hutchinson resigned after he was elected to serve District 4. With only six members instead of the usual seven, the board has deadlocked on some major decisions, including how to fill the D5 seat, with half the board members pushing to fill the seat with an appointment and the other half preferring the democratic process to play out and let the voters decide.
With a deciding vote, the next D5 school board member will have the power to sway major decisions, impacting charter school’s ability to be renewed, receive funding, or have access to district facilities. It is so crucial we elect a leader who will put the voice and choice of families first, and focus on the difficult and extremely important work of doing what’s necessary to change the outcomes for Black and Brown students.
Important to note about the D5 election is that the district boundaries changed before the 2022 election because of redistricting. The District 5 area now does not extend above the 580 freeway, so the next representative will be primarily serving the Fruitvale area. See image of the D5 map below. It is so crucial that Fruitvale families have a representative who will put students first. (You can check out the new maps here.) |
