Native Americans have objected to being stereotyped as mascots. At McClymonds, students led an effort to adopt the African warrior to honor the historically Black institution.
Author Archives: Ashley McBride
Ashley McBride writes about education equity for The Oaklandside. Her work covers Oakland’s public district and charter schools. Before joining The Oaklandside in 2020, Ashley was a reporter for the San Antonio Express-News and the San Francisco Chronicle as a Hearst Journalism Fellow, and has held positions at the Poynter Institute and the Palm Beach Post. Ashley earned her master’s degree in journalism from Syracuse University.
Posted inEducation Equity
Facing pressure, Oakland Unified agrees to expand COVID testing at schools
The district will ramp up testing to twice per month, at all schools. It’s less than what some members of the community and school board had hoped.
Posted inEducation Equity
Uncertainty around COVID protocols marked Oakland schools’ first week back
In a district of 35,000 students and 5,000 teachers and staff, more than 100 COVID cases were detected last week.
Posted inHealth & Environment
Vaccine efforts ramp up as East Bay kids head back to school
About 56% of 12 to 17-year-olds in Alameda County are fully vaccinated, while fewer than 25% of Black youth are.
Posted inEducation Equity
Oakland Unified’s board meeting disrupted by families urging more COVID safety precautions at schools
At the first school board meeting of the academic year, community members reacted angrily to a discussion about the superintendent’s pay, and complained about the district’s distance learning program.
Posted inEducation Equity
Excitement, nervousness abound as Oakland students return for the first day of school
Amidst a surge in coronavirus cases driven by the delta variant, Oakland Unified is among the first Bay Area districts to return to school this year.
Posted inEducation Equity
Oakland schools documentary ‘Homeroom’ starts streaming on Hulu this week
Peter Nicks’ new film follows Oakland High School students as they fight to remove police from schools amid a global pandemic.
Posted inEducation Equity
What COVID-19 precautions are Oakland schools taking for the 2021-22 school year?
Students, teachers, and staff will be required to wear masks and encouraged to get vaccinated, among other safety measures.
Posted inEducation Equity
How some Oakland schools are preparing to welcome students back
Community-building activities, restorative justice circles, and day camps are just some of the ways teachers and other school leaders hope to make the transition smooth.
Posted inEducation Equity
Oakland Unified is holding back-to-school information sessions for families
OUSD students go back to school on Aug. 9. Here’s how you can get your questions answered.
Posted inEducation Equity
Oakland high schoolers repaired more than 3,000 Chromebooks this summer
The internship gave students an opportunity to learn computer repair skills while also helping out the district’s technology team.
Posted inEducation Equity
OUSD food lab ignites students’ passion for cooking
Seven teams of Oakland high schoolers participated in a cooking competition to create a new dish to add to the school lunch menu.
Posted inEducation Equity
Oakland made gains in closing the digital divide during COVID. The classroom tech could be here to stay
Before the pandemic, just 12% of low-income students in Oakland had a computer or reliable internet at home. Going into the fall, 98% now have them, according to Oakland Undivided.
Posted inEducation Equity
How Oakland Unified provided 11 million meals to families during the pandemic
The massive child nutrition effort relied on hundreds of volunteers, donations, and hiring dozens of out-of-work parents.
Posted inEducation Equity
3 Oakland schools prioritized enrollment of students from low-income neighborhoods. Here’s how it turned out
As a method of increasing race and class diversity in higher performing OUSD schools, results look promising so far.
Posted inHousing & Homelessness
2 vacant Oakland Unified School District properties will become teacher housing
The OUSD board voted to lease two East Oakland sites for employee homes. The developments will also include a Black Cultural Zone hub and a job training center.
Posted inEducation Equity
Kaiser Elementary School, closed in 2019, to reopen as early learning center
While many Oakland community members are eager to see children on the campus again, some are still grieving the closure of the school.
Posted inEducation Equity
Oakland school closures, mergers, and expansions: here’s how OUSD will decide
Plans to close or consolidate schools could be approved in September as part of OUSD’s Citywide Plan.
Posted inEducation Equity
Watch: Oakland student leaders revisit a year of activism
Reporter Ashley McBride sat down with Denilson Garibo and Malia Liao to discuss student activism in Oakland.
Posted inEducation Equity
Distance learning lawsuit against California involving Oakland families moves forward
The Oakland Reach and OUSD students and parents claim that the state failed its constitutional duty to provide an adequate education during the pandemic.
