Oakland parents and teachers have mixed feelings about strike, next steps

OAKLAND, Calif. - Many families with students in the Oakland Unified School District said they feel relieved that the teachers union came to a tentative agreement with the district and teachers plan to return to the classrooms Tuesday morning.

The Oakland Education Association announced the end to their eight-day strike after negotiators reached a deal around 4 a.m. Monday. 

The announcement comes in time for many year-end events and graduations to move forward as planned.

"It feels good that they can finish off the rest of the school year, so they can go to their promotion and the seniors can have their senior graduation," Michelle Burnett, a parent of an 8th grader who was honored Monday night at the 22nd annual African American Honor Roll Celebration. 

The celebration recognized 1,960 African-American middle and high school scholars who earned a grade point average of 3.0 or higher.

"It's kind of exciting. I didn't think we'd have a ceremony for just being on the honor roll," said Jason Wooley, an 8th grade honoree who attends West Oakland Middle School.

"I just completed my homework. I just didn't give up," said SaVaughn Smith, a 7th grade honoree from Bret Harte Middle School.

Across the district, some parents say they supported the teachers' strike, but are relieved it has ended.

"Pay the teachers what they want. They deserve it.  They really do," said Ilys Minor, an OUSD parent.

Other parents, though, said teachers shouldn't have walked out.

"They deserved a pay increase, but I didn't agree with the strike. I didn't feel like it was putting our kids' interest first," said Annie Gottbehuet, an Oakland parent.

The district and teacher's union's tentative agreement reportedly includes a 15% pay raise over 2.5 years, a 10% retroactive raise, and a $5,000 one-time bonus.

They also agreed to have more teacher librarians, counselors, and nurses, as well as what they call "Common Good" resources for students and their families.

There were mixed reactions from members of the Oakland Education Association.

"I'm just happy it's over and that we have an agreement and that we're back at work," said Lisa Vigil, an OUSD teacher.

Other teachers spoke out with a protest Monday afternoon, saying they saw the tentative agreement and are angry with the union for calling off the strike before members could vote on the new contract.

"There needs to be a vote by members before we go back into the school. That's basic union democracy and that's the way we keep our strike strong," said Mark Airgood, a math teacher at Sojourner Truth Middle School who joined a half dozen teachers in protest of the OEA leadership.

Despite the deadlock and dispute over the strike, the broader concern in Oakland remains over what resources the children need and how to fund them, recognizing that many students such as those on the African American Honor Roll are succeeding, despite the obstacles they face. 

"I hope the end result of the strike action is that we're able to get even more resources, more manpower, more womanpower to give our students what they need and what they deserve," said Iminah Laura Ahmad, co-founder and staff with the OUSD's African American Female Excellence Program.

The OEA still needs to set a date for the union members to vote. 

If the deal is ratified, it will need to be approved by the Oakland School Board and then be reviewed by state fiscal experts and the Alameda County Board of Education.