"Oakland will never reach its potential without
better schools and opportunities for youth."
Accomplishments:
Jean got her start in politics by saving the arts and music programs in our schools,and was a recognized national advocate for urban education while on the Oakland
School Board.
Among her 12 years of accomplishments working with OUSD, Jean:
- Led efforts to raise more than $700 million to make schools earthquake safe,fund smaller classes, and bring technology and arts to the classroom.
- Created policies to raise graduation standards, increase computer literacy and expand career preparation and internships.
- Advocated for the first city-school public library at the Woodland-Encompass campus at 81st Avenue, which opened this year.
As a City Councilmember, Jean continued fighting for quality programs and services to support our youth to reach their goals. She worked hard to:
- Co-author Measure Y to fund 63 neighborhood beat officers and violence prevention programs for youth and families with the greatest need.
- Pass Measure Q to fund librarians in the schools and keep library branches open.
- Provide matching grants to schools to help fund library upgrades, better street lighting, school gardens, arts and music programs and safe pathways.
- Fund small classes, teacher support and expand afterschool programs, while brokering funding for teen centers throughout the City in the 2007-09 Budget.
- Work with the Oakland Zoo, Oakland Museum, Children's Fairyland and Chabot Science Center to ensure access for Oakland's low-income families.
Plans & Visions:
Jean will be the first Mayor who truly understands how the City of Oakland can support our schools and will prioritize the future of our youth in all decisions.
The next Mayor must create a youth-friendly city:
- Organize the business community and neighborhood councils to support schools throughout the city. In Jean's Council district, nearly every Neighborhood Crime Prevention Council has adopted a local school.
- Organize an army of dedicated and vetted volunteers to mentor, support, and guide the 2,000 Oakland youth most in need to help them succeed in school, get jobs, and
stay safe in their community.
- Have City department heads focus on youth issues each month, and talk with the OUSD Superintendent weekly to coordinate efforts.
- Require neighborhood police officers to visit schools and recreation centers regularly to improve relationships with our youth.
- Grow quality before and after school programs on every school site to support working parents, provide youth development training, and connect local youth to meaningful internships and jobs.
- Work with youth centers and OUSD to fight truancy
at all levels--if students aren't in school, they can easily get into trouble and their opportunities in life are limited if they don't graduate.
- Work toward "One City, Shared Facilities." Just like the new joint city-school 81st Street Library in East Oakland, the City and School District can improve efficiency and
save dollars by sharing needed facilities and coordinating initiatives.
- Push the State to take responsibility for the $100 million debt that they created between 2003-2009 while managing our schools, and insist that they forgive the
debt, to bring the School District back into financial health.
- Work with neighborhood parents to build networks during pre-school which can lead to parents sending their kids together to the local schools.
- Establish a mind-set of Restorative Justice throughout the city, to defuse explosive situations and train youth and adults to create peaceful and productive solutions.
- Work with All City Council student leaders and the Youth Commission to ensure youth participation, visioning and input in city decisions and policymaking.
|
